DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar El Assad announced Thursday the support of his country to the national dialogue between the Lebanese to reach national unity, as stated by the official Syrian news agency SANA.

The agency added that Assad “insisted during his meeting with the leader of the Lebanese Communist Party, Khaled Hadade, and the accompanying delegation on supporting the national dialogue between the Lebanese and on everything that helps reaching Lebanese national unity”.

The Syrian president hoped “the national dialogue would reinforce the Lebanese unity and preserve their security and sovereignty”, the same source added.

The Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Walid El Mouallem, affirmed last Wednesday that Syria is positive for the national dialogue that started Tuesday in Beirut between the Lebanese parties.

This dialogue tackles problematic matters first of which is the relationship between Hezbollah’s arms and the State. The fourteen figures who took part in the 2006 dialogue will be present in this year’s sessions except the Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah who will be absent for security reasons.

The second round of the dialogue will take place on November 5, 2008.