Assad, Annan discuss developments in Lebanon, Iraq

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke with Syrian President Bashar Assad by telephone on Saturday, discussing political developments in Lebanon and Iraq, the state-run news agency reported. The news agency, SANA, gave no other details, but the conversation came two days before the UN Security Council is expected to discuss a draft agreement between the UN and the Lebanese government to establish an international tribunal to prosecute the suspected killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.