Syria's Assad cheers Michel Aoun as new Lebanon president

Visiting Minister of Syria's Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam conveyed Monday a congratulatory message from Syrian President Bashar Assad to Lebanon's President Michel Aoun on his election.

According to the National News Agency (NNA), Azzam emphasized after meeting with Aoun the "deep" ties between Syria and Lebanon, stressing that "we continue on the same page of constant and balanced ties."

"The main thing is the common interests of the both countries, including stability and security," he said, adding that "as long as Lebanon and Syria identify Israel and terrorism as their common enemy, then both countries were on the same boat."

The Lebanese parliament on Oct. 31 elected former army chief Michel Aoun as the country's 13th president, ending a vacancy that lasted almost two and a half years.