Sleiman in Beirut after Turkey visit

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman returned to Beirut on Tuesday afternoon, after a quick visit to Turkey where he met  Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to address bilateral relations and developments in the Arab world, in addition to the issue of the 11 kidnapped Lebanese. As Arabstoday had previously reported, President Suleiman was not accompanied by any of the kidnapped Lebanese in Syrian territory, although there was an attempt to release two of them by the Union of Muslim Scholars. Sleiman arrived at Ankara airport on Tuesday morning, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Samir Mokbel, and went straight to the presidential palace where he held talks with President Gul, and completed their talks over a working lunch attended by Lebanese and Turkish delegations. The meeting tackled bilateral relations between the two countries and cooperation in political, economic cultural and military levels. A significant growth in the volume of trade exchange between the two countries was also discussed. President Gul pointed to the decision to renew his country's participation in United Nations forces operating in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese President thanked his Turkish counterpart on of his country's participation in UNIFIL, and cited support for international organisations. Presidents Suleiman and Gul also spoke about the situation in the region in general and the implications of the Syrian crisis on neighbouring countries. They stressed the importance of reaching a peaceful solution and to unitedly continue the democratic process as agreed upon by all Syrians. The two sides agreed on the  rejection of any foreign military intervention and the need for peace so that Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Turkey could return to their homes as tens of thousands persons suffer inhumane conditions. President Sleiman said that democracy in the region would settle only by putting pressure on Israel to implement the solution of the Arab peace initiative on one hand, and the Arab new democratic regimes to involve all components of their communities in the management of political affairs on the other. "Any solution in the region should be not at the expense of Lebanon, or by settling the Palestinians in our land," he said. Sleiman raised with the Turkish side the issue of the 1 kidnapped Lebanese and the role played by Turkey in coordination with other parties for their release. President Gul asserted that the Turkish authorities were doing their utmost to find a quick solution to the case. President Gul gave Sleiman with specific information stating that the hostages were in good health. The two sides agreed to continue communications and exchange information that could help solve the case. President Sleiman, then, moved to the head of government where he held a meeting with Prime Minister Erdogan.