Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri have agreed to repair relations between the two countries during their first meeting in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Saad Hariri and Bashar al-Assad remarked "positive changes" in Syrian-Lebanese bilateral ties, which have been deteriorated for almost five years, during their Saturday's talks.

In February 2005, then-Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Saad Hariri's father, was killed in a bomb explosion in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

Lebanon has blamed Syria for the attack, which claimed 23 lives, but Damascus has denied any involvement.

The accident stirred strong anti-Syrian sentiment in Lebanon, and Syria, which dominated Lebanon for decades, was forced to withdraw its troops from the neighboring country in April 2005.

The two states re-established full diplomatic relations broken soon after Hariri's assassination earlier this year.

Saad Hariri, who became Lebanese prime minister in early November, said on Saturday "strong strategic relations with Syria" should be re-established. This would address the interests of the "two brotherly nations", boost the development of both countries and strengthen security and stability in Lebanon, he said.

Bashar al-Assad said in his turn "Lebanon's security and stability is security and stability of Syria and vise versa."

DAMASCUS, December 20 (RIA Novosti)