BEIRUT, August 17, SPA -- Lebanon aims to complete stepstowards establishing diplomatic ties with Syria within weeks,Prime Minister Fouad Siniora was quoted as saying on Sunday. Syria and Lebanon agreed on Wednesday to open diplomaticrelations at ambassadorial level in a step welcomed by theUnited States, which had long called on Damascus to formaliseties with Beirut. "We will work on accomplishing it within the coming weeks,"Siniora told the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Lebanesecounterpart Michel Suleiman instructed their foreign ministersto begin steps towards exchanging ambassadors during a summit inDamascus last week, Reuters reported.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/582711