Syria-Lebanon: What is Prime Minister Hariri Seeking?

According to the Syrian news agency Champress, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri told Syrian President Bashar Assad on Saturday that he wishes to improve Lebanese-Syrian relations to better defend Lebanon against Israel, which continues to violate Arab rights. Assad's adviser Buthaina Shaaban said that the talks were "frank" and "succeeded in overcoming difficulties that marred relations in the past five years."

Hariri loyalist and former lawmaker Mustafa Alloush was more cautious: he said that the visit was "very difficult on the personal level" and involves "great sacrifice" and did not mean Lebanon had dropped its belief that Syria was responsible for the killing of Hariri's father Rafik, the former Lebanese Prime Minister assassinated in 2005. However, Alloush added, "As prime minister of Lebanon, it is quite normal to have such a visit....It is necessary and there is a need to settle all aspects of the relationship."

"At the end of the day, Syria is the nearest country to us. God willing this visit will bring stability and security to Lebanon," Bahia al-Hariri, a member of the Lebanese parliament and the premier's aunt, said in Lebanon.

So, what is the outcome of this visit by Hariri? Is it a natural consequence of Hezbollah's weight in the cabinet or just a part of the coalition deal? Or is this an initiative by Hariri to decrease the tension inside Lebanon through an opening to Damascus, offering a diplomatic victory to Syria after five years of tension?

Middle East Inside Line: Hezbollah Keeps Its Weapons (Legally) in Lebanon

On Wednesday, the 30 members of the Lebanese cabinet approved Hizbullah's right to keep its weapons. The endorsement dismisses a United Nations resolution after the Second Lebanon War calling on Hezbollah to disarm.

Some anlaysts have argued that the Western-backed Hariri Government is not willing to pursue disarmament, as this would raise tensions with Hezbollah, which has veto power over government proposals.