Lebanese, Syrian defense ministers to meet in Saudi Arabia

The Lebanese and Syrian defense ministers are to meet Thursday in Saudi Arabia to discuss issues including border tensions, a Lebanese official with knowledge of the matter told AFP.

Instead of a visit to Damascus that has been postponed, Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa is set to meet with his Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra "in Jeddah, under the patronage of Saudi Arabia," the official said on condition of anonymity.

A Syrian government source had earlier told AFP that Menassa's Damascus visit, initially planned for Wednesday, had been postponed due to "preparations for the formation of a new government."

The postponement was "in no way related to tensions or conflicts," another Lebanese official had said earlier on condition of anonymity.

It had been scheduled to be the first visit to Damascus by a Lebanese minister since a government was formed in Beirut in February.

Border tensions flared earlier in March after Syria's new authorities accused Hezbollah of kidnapping three soldiers into Lebanon and killing them.

The Iran-backed group, which fought alongside the forces of toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, denied involvement. But the ensuing cross-border clashes left seven Lebanese dead.

Islamist-led rebels ousted Assad in December.