BEIRUT, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Lebanese lawmaker on Monday called for official visits to Syria to push forward the opening of Nasib Border Crossing for exports, a local newspaper reported.
"The banana harvest is about to start and we will be facing a big issue if we do not agree with Syria to open the Nasib border to export our produce to Arab countries," Nawaf al-Moussawi, a member of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.
As the only functioning crossing between Jordan and Syria, Nasib is vital for goods transport from Lebanon and Syria to Jordan and the Gulf states.
Moussawi's remarks came after his phone call with caretaker Minister of Agriculture Ghazi Zeaiter, who vowed to discuss with his Syrian counterpart the possibility of opening the Nasib border during a possible visit to Syria soon.
The Syrian authorities said earlier that Lebanon must send an official request to Syria for the use of the Nasib Border Crossing to send its exports to the rest of the world.
However, Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has officially refused to restore ties with the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad or visit Syria under any circumstances even if it would cost him his premiership.
