Suleiman Hopes for Year of Dialogue, Stresses Coordination with Syria to Control Border Security

President Michel Suleiman on Friday congratulated the Lebanese on the occasion of the New Year, hoping 2012 would be a year of dialogue, understanding and stability.

In a statement issued by his press office, Suleiman hoped “2012 would bring happiness and stability for the nation and would be a year of dialogue and understanding” that would contribute to the productivity of public institutions.

The president also hoped that Lebanon would enjoy stability next year amid the ongoing upheaval in the region, the statement said.

He hailed the role played by Lebanon’s mission at the U.N. headquarters in New York, reminding the Lebanese that Beirut’s membership in the Security Council ends at the start of 2012.

Lebanon has presided the Council twice during its two-year membership.

Also Friday, Suleiman discussed with Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali bilateral ties and the situation in Syria after an Arab League observer mission began its work there.

The statement said that the two men stressed “the importance of coordination to control the situation as far as border violations are concerned.”

They also stressed “the cooperation in the investigation into the murder of three Lebanese nationals near the border with Syria to avoid a repetition (of such incident) on one side and end the violation on the other through measures aimed at controlling the border.”

Three Lebanese men were killed in the northern border region of Wadi Khaled earlier in the week when Syrian troops opened fire on their vehicle from across the border.

A controversy also erupted this month after Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn said al-Qaida fighters were operating in the eastern border town of Arsal.

Arsal has in recent months witnessed a string of deadly incursions by the Syrian army in an alleged bid to crack down on arms smuggling.