Sarkozy to Syria: Lebanon is a Free Country

by **Admin** Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:07 am

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said Syria should realize the importance of Lebanon's freedom.

"Syria should understand the need for Lebanon to be a free country," Sarkozy said in a rare address to both Houses of Parliament during his state visit to Britain which kicked off on Wednesday.

"Lebanon should be a free country and everybody should realize that and Syria must also understand that," Sarkozy stressed.

Sarkozy on Thursday kicks off the second day of his visit to Britain with a meeting in Downing Street, followed by an Anglo-French summit.

The first day of his visit was highlighted by an offer to bolster France's military presence in Afghanistan, where NATO forces are fighting a bloody insurgency, along with a rare address to both Houses of Parliament and a state banquet at Windsor Castle.

Following the Thursday morning meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the two leaders are expected to call for greater transparency in the financial markets and reform of major international institutions, the latter of which is a long-standing interest of the British leader.