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China lifts Internet curbs at Games centre ... al-Assad has issued a decree to establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon for the first time since the two Arab neighbours won independence from France in the 1940s.
The move formalises decisions taken jointly with Lebanon and encouraged by France over the last few months. Lebanon's Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said he would visit Damascus on Wednesday to discuss the mechanism for establishing diplomatic ties. Damascus has been under Western pressure to take steps to formally recognise Lebanon's sovereignty. Syria dominated Lebanese politics for three decades before withdrawing troops in 2005 following the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
(Deutsche Welle)
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