Syria

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri visited Syria in mid-December, after nearly five years of highly strained ties between Damascus and Hariri's 'March 14' governing alliance. The visit follows recent bilateral meetings between Syrian and Saudi officials, and the key role played by Syria in securing an agreement on the formation of a Lebanese government. These developments are a clear illustration of Syria's shift back towards the mainstream of Middle Eastern politics, and support our long term view that Damascus will continue to seek rapprochement with a host of traditional foes, from Israel to the US to Saudi Arabia.

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