Lebanese army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji heading a military delegation paid a one-day visit to Damascus on Saturday to discuss security coordination between the two armies.

"I do not understand why we should rush into normalizing relations with Syria, without a commitment from Syria over Shebaa Farms, Palestinian arms outside their camps, demarcation of the borders and Fattah al-Islam terrorist groups," the report quoted Joumblat as saying.

The two neighbors formally launched diplomatic ties on October 15 for the first time after six decades since their independence from the French colonial rule in the 1940s.

Following the establishment of diplomatic ties, Lebanese army commander and the interior minster paid visits to Syria in November. but the visits raised a series of criticisms by pro- government leaders who accuse Syria of being responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005, while Syria denied any responsibility. -Xinhua