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Lebanese President Michel Suleiman. (Reuters) Last update - 19:49 25/05/2008 New Lebanese President calls for renewal of ties with Syria By Haaretz Service and News Agencies Tags: Hezbollah, Michel Suleiman  Newly elected Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Sunday called for the establishment of diplomatic ties with Syria, speaking at his swearing-in ceremony. "We look strongly to brotherly ties between Lebanon and Syria in the context of mutual respect of the sovereignty and borders of each country and diplomatic ties which will bring good for both of them," Suleiman told the Lebanese parliament. Syria is currently under suspicion of the 2005 murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. Following the assassination, Syria withdrew large numbers of troops from its western neighbor. Advertisement Gen. Suleiman, the Lebanese army's former chief of staff, was elected earlier Sunday in a long-delayed vote that was a key step toward restoring political stability. The new president stated at the inauguration ceremony that, "Our weapons should only be directed towards the enemy," hinting at recent internal violence that has swept Lebanon. It was also perhaps a reference to the conflict between the Lebanese Shi'ite guerilla group Hezbollah and Israel. In another likely reference to Israel, Suleiman said: "Our weapons should only be directed towards the enemy." Israel invaded its northern neighbor in the 2006 Second Lebabon War after Hezbollah guerillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers. Celebratory gunfire and occasional explosions reverberated across the capital Beirut as news of Suleiman's election was announced. In the general's hometown of Aamchit on the Mediterranean coast north of Beirut, hundreds of people broke out in cheers and dancing in the main square as they watched the vote on a giant screen. The Hezbollah-led opposition and Western-backed government agreed last week in Qatar to elect Suleiman as part of their deal to end an 18-month political crisis. The stalemate erupted into violence earlier this month, bringing the country to the brink of another civil war. The Doha deal which allowed the election of Suleiman as a compromise candidate between the Leba was widely seen as a setback for Washington and its allies, which had pressed for Hezbollah to be disarmed. However, U.S. President George W. Bush, congratulating Suleiman on his election, said in a statement: "I am hopeful that the Doha Agreement ... will usher in an era of political reconciliation to the benefit of all Lebanese." Bush said he was confident that Lebanon had chosen a leader who would uphold the country's international obligations under UN resolutions that call for Hezbollah to be disarmed. The presidential vote had been postponed 19 times since November when the last president, Emile Lahoud, left office. Suleiman, a compromise candidate, ran unopposed. He won 118 votes of the 127 living members of the legislature, according to parliament speaker Nabih Berri. There were six blank ballots. Two legislators voted for one-time presidential hopefuls and one was in the name Rafik Hariri and the martyred legislators - a reference to the slain former prime minister and five other lawmakers killed in bombings in the last three years. Related articles: Anticipation, tight security in Lebanon ahead of long delayed Pres. vote Lebanon set to vote in Suleiman as president after months of crisis West backs Lebanese gov't capitulation to Hezbollah Bookmark to del.icio.us   'Shampoo' meets 'Munich' New Adam Sandler film stars Mossad hit man turned hairdresser. Rehab (live) Report: Singer Amy Winehouse is to undergo drug rehab in Israel.   1.   Keep Off 18:03  |  Ghassan 25/05/08   2.   ELECTION OF LEBANESE PRESIDENT: HIZBULLAH IS GREAT? NAH! 18:05  |  Mohamed MALLECK 25/05/08   3.   Thruth Twisters 18:49  |  peace 25/05/08   4.   Ghassan, Israel is not the problem... 18:50  |  Jacques 25/05/08   5.   Wish Peace... 19:05  |  Dani 25/05/08   6.   To Jacques # 4 19:18  |  Ghassan 25/05/08   7.   ghassan, don`t provoke Israel - return our soldiers 19:22  |  x-ray 25/05/08   8.   XRAY WHAT A JOKE 19:34  |  JOHN 25/05/08   9.   #6 19:36  |  JR 25/05/08   10.   Welcoming Pal-refugees; will he remove their camps in Lebanon and 19:56  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/05/08   11.   Iran is now on Israels northern border. 20:09  |  Swyteck 25/05/08   12.   Yup, Tzipi Livni: "We Delivered a Severe Blow to Hizbullah" 20:15  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 25/05/08   13.   #5 me too 20:16  |  al 25/05/08   14.   #9 with what?????? 20:16  |  Antoine 25/05/08   15.   Thats good news? 20:19  |  JP 25/05/08   16.   aliciayasmeen get your facts straight! 20:21  |  Tam 25/05/08   17.   Israel needs to OCCUPY LEBANON AGAIN! Israel security 1st. 20:26  |  POP 25/05/08   18.   With 11 Leb-Hezbollah ministers Israel closer to peace than ever! 21:18  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/05/08   19.   goodbye no guts or army to protect yourself thats what happens 21:22  |  ralph 25/05/08   20.   learn israel no guts no drive to selfprotect no useful politician 21:23  |  ralph 25/05/08   21.   Keeping Out 02:20  |  DesMnsDave 26/05/08   22.   New ties with Syria vs Israel 02:21  |  Sal 26/05/08   23.   #14 is absolutely right 02:39  |  Akram 26/05/08   24.   BUSH MUST BE FUMING 02:44  |  VIPER 26/05/08   25.   lebanon 02:46  |  Bruce Rubin 26/05/08   26.   #1GHASSAN, keep up the good fight 02:47  |  VIPER 26/05/08   27.   To#18 Yasmeen:It`ll even get better in few months once hezbol win 02:50  |  Aounist 26/05/08   28.   #4, JACQUES, and his propaganda 02:50  |  VIPER 26/05/08   29.   #17, POP and logical thinking 02:57  |  VIPER 26/05/08   30.   By Enemies he ment any invader. 05:44  |  Alan 26/05/08   31.   VIPER was Arafat`s nickname! 16:30  |  Avi 26/05/08   32.   #28. VIPER with no fangs! 16:44  |  Jacques 26/05/08

Read & React Report: Carter says Israel has 150 nuclear weapons Responses: 151 U.S. professor gives Israeli prize money to Palestinian university Responses: 100 Palestinians reject Israeli offer to hand over 91.5% of W. Bank Responses: 76 Anaysis / Price of quiet in Lebanon is Hezbollah in power Responses: 35 Shin Bet chief: Hamas threat increasing Responses: 33 Rosner's Domain Explaining Hagee's Holocaust remarks Poll: Peace between Israel & Syria? Should American Jews Embrace Living Double Lives? Rosner's Guests: can "decisive victory" against guerilla achieved? Blame the Israel Lobby for Clinton's loss? (WTR) More Headlines 16:48 Sources: Major progress in Hezbollah-Israel talks over missing IDF soldiers 15:54 Report: Carter says Israel has 150 nuclear weapons 13:54 Olmert: Only those hallucinating think we'll keep post-'67 borders 11:57 Shin Bet chief: Hamas rocket threat from Gaza is mounting 16:36 Hamas: Israel must open Rafah crossing for truce talks to succeed 13:43 Palestinians reject Israeli offer to hand over 91.5% of W. Bank 13:45 U.S. prof. gives Israeli prize money to Palestinian university 14:31 21-year-old confesses to murder of his father in J'lem home 15:34 Red Cross urges Israel to allow Palestinian prisoners family visits 14:23 ANALYSIS / Gaza truce appears to be inching farther away 11:02 Israel: UNIFIL is ignoring Hezbollah violations in south Lebanon 09:48 Netanyahu, on Syria talks: Peace with dictatorial state won't last Previous Editions Select Day 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may

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