Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem is due to attend a session of Lebanon's parliament Sunday, in which army commander General Michel Suleiman is expected to be elected President, a Syrian newspaper reported. Al-Moallem received an invitation to attend the session from Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, according to the Syrian semi-official daily al-Watan. "Syria's interest in taking part in such an event comes as a result of the inter-Lebanese dialogue under Qatari and Arab auspices," the newspaper quoted Syrian officials as saying. "Suleiman has always maintained positive relations with Syria and commands everybody's respect," the officials said. All Lebanese powers have agreed to elect Suleiman as part of a deal announced Wednesday in the Qatari capital Doha, DPA reported. The Lebanese parliament has invited foreign officials to attend the vote, including the foreign ministers of France, Iran and Saudi Arabia, all of which are major players in the country.
