In the end, the neighboring countries find themselves faced with a single option, which is to look towards the future, despite the burden of some of the past's milestones, events, and hardships; and despite the wounds, sensitivities, facts, accusations, and bitterness. Countries cannot escape for long their geographical magnitude, or resign from it: the veins of interests; the movement of individuals and goods; the gateways of commerce; the gateways of stability. Policies are not built on resisting geographical magnitude or on surrendering to it. They are built on understanding it, comprehending it, and containing it within a network of the higher interests of those who reside on both sides of the international borders. The geographical magnitude does not give the stronger side a delegation to manage the fate of the weaker side. It does not give the weaker side a justification to await any opportunity to topple the stronger side. There is a place called halfway, or close to it. We are not talking here about history. Its story is different; dealing with it is easier. Some stories can be selected and others ignored. Some stories can be amputated and others deceived. Surrendering to history is costly and danger-ridden. The choice of constantly swimming against it belongs to the same fabric. History can be embellished, but geography has no place for such jurisprudence. History's court can be deceived. The provisions of geography's court are ratified. The court has ruled. Very often, and for many reasons, the neighboring countries fall in the trap of clashing. They build walls, distribute barbwire, and often go further than that. One side attempts to eliminate the other, change its color, or tame it. The other side attempts to worry its neighbor, mess up its decisions, or spread instability. In the end, calculated interests prevail – the interests of people and their future. The history of French-German relations is enough to explain the story of geography and history together. The strongest relations are those that are built on numbers and the respect of international laws and borders. They are those that offer opportunities for jobs, communication, prosperity, and stability. I remembered the story of geography and history while watching on TV the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad welcoming the Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. It was obvious that al-Assad welcomed his guest with what was the fruit of a decision to turn the page of the past and look towards the future. It was also obvious that Hariri went to Damascus based on a brave decision he took to turn the page of the past and look towards the future. Completely turning the page of the past sometimes requires a doctor called time. There is nothing strange about the occurrence of this meeting, as there were some who considered it to be impossible or extremely hard. Al-Assad's feeling that his country was able to face the storms that surrounded it for the past years gave him a high level of flexibility and moderation. Something remains amiss in inter-Arab reconciliations without a Syrian-Lebanese reconciliation. It is illogical for instance for Syria to have an excellent and strategic relation with Ankara and a troubled and thorny one with Beirut. Syria, which has retrieved its prominent Arab and regional role and its European openness is able to build a balanced relation with Lebanon that would reinforce its (Syria's) role and preserve Lebanon's rights and interests. On the other hand, we may say that Hariri has enough strength to make difficult decisions. There are the results of parliamentary elections; his moderate and undisputable leadership of his sect, and even beyond; the arsenal of his Arab and international relations; his sole ability among the Lebanese poles to stir up citizens' hopes for stability and prosperity. Hariri knows what the ordinary Lebanese citizen knows: “genuine and honest” relations with Syria are a prerequisite for Lebanese stability. What Hariri has said from the Lebanese embassy in Damascus gives the impression that a serious window has been jointly opened. This window must be protected, based on looking towards the future and learning from the past. Opening windows after many thorny years requires courage. The maintenance of the windows requires wisdom, realism, and the respect of interests.
