Saudis and Syrians cement detente

The Saudi foreign minister was in Syria earlier in March signalling better ties

Saudi Arabia says King Abdullah is to hold talks with the Syrian leader in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The king and President Bashar al-Assad will discuss "ways to bolster bilateral ties", the Saudi press agency said.

He will also meet Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, the agency said, without drawing a link between the visits.

Syrian-Saudi relations have come under strain in recent years, caused by sharp differences over Iran, Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel's 22-day military offensive against Gaza, which ended on 18 January and killed more than 1,300 Palestinians, exacerbated the schism.

Syria and Qatar firmly backing the militant group Hamas, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt sided with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah group, who blamed Hamas for provoking the Israeli bombardment.

Signs of improved relations began last week, when Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal visited Damascus and issued an invitation for Mr Assad to visit after talks with Syria's Walid al-Muallim at an Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Egypt.

Correspondents say the Saudis are mending ties to restore a semblance of Arab harmony before a summit later this month due to be held in Doha.

Personal wounds

Syria has been trying to put behind it the diplomatic isolation it suffered following the assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri in 2005.

Damascus denied involvement in the staunchly pro-Saudi billionaire's murder, which is now the subject of an international tribunal which has opened in The Hague.

It has been patching up relations with Lebanon, which has opened the door to renewed contacts with the United States and European Union, especially France.

After the 2006 Lebanon war, Syria's president called Gulf leaders "half-men" for their refusal to support Israel's main foe Hezbollah, leading analysts to stress any detente will have to heal personal as well as political wounds.

Analysts suggest that one of Saudi Arabia's main priorities is to "weaken the cards" of non-Arab Iran which has developed strong ties among more radical elements in the Arab world.

"They know it'll be very difficult to break the ties between Syria and Iran," said an official close to the Saudis quoted by Reuters news agency.

"But by showing the Syrians what they have to gain if they return to the Arab fold, they hope to weaken that alliance," the official added.

A possible easing of inter-Arab tensions will be a particular relief in Lebanon, which will be holding parliamentary elections starting in June .