The newspaper, Al Watan Al Arabi, quoted sources close to Syrian President Hafiz al Assad as saying to Labenese Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri: "We heard you on television for four hours and do not need to hear you speak another three."
There is a crisis of confidence between Syrian president Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri, acccording to Al Watan Al Arabi newspaper. The newspaper reports that political sources close to Damascus said that relations between Hariri and Damascus are strained. A possible explanation is fear in Damascus over Hariri’s regional activities. The same sources said that Damascus contacted Hariri, prior to Madelaine Albright’s visit to Beirut, in order to verify that the visit would take place.
Hariri’s response was in the negative. However, Albright arrived in Beirut via Cyprus and conducted a large public relations campaign.
Albright’s visit took place following several attempts by Syrian President Hafiz al Assad to discuss Lebanon, but Albright did not respond one way or the other.
The crisis deepened when Al Hariri requested a meeting with President Assad, folllowing a four hour television interview. The Syrian response was humiliating: "We watched you for four hours on television and do not need to hear you a further three hours".