The 22-member Arab League on Friday hailed the decision by Syria and Lebanon to establish diplomatic relations as a historic step.

"This agreement, which puts Syrian-Lebanese relations back on track... is an important historic step," League chief Amr Moussa said in a statement.

Moussa also said that demarcating the common frontier and examining the fate of hundreds of people missing since the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war "are positive steps aimed at strengthening relations in the interests of both countries."

On Wednesday, during a visit to Syria by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Beirut and Damascus said they would establish diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors for the first time.

The two countries also agreed Thursday to begin negotiations on demarcating their border.

Suleiman's landmark two-day visit for talks with his counterpart Bashar al-Assad was the first by a Lebanese president since Syria ended almost 30 years of military domination over Lebanon in April 2005.

The two states have not had diplomatic ties since independence from colonial power France -- Lebanon in 1943 and Syria in 1946.(AFP-Naharnet)