Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Sat 03 Mar 2007Contact to reopen with SyriaForeign policy:The EU is to reopen direct diplomatic contacts with Syria next week, two years after being blocked by France following the assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.In his final summit meeting, French president Jacques Chirac approved a visit to Damascus next week by the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, to seek Syria's help in securing peace in Lebanon. A visit by Mr Solana, rather than individual visits by foreign ministers, would ensure that the union spoke with one voice, the French president said. Mr Solana will also travel to Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.