French authorities have assured a delegation from the March 14 forces that there is no compromise on Lebanon and that Syria will not be given the green light to return to the country, An Nahar daily reported Friday.

It quoted French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner as telling the delegation that "there won't be a compromise on Lebanon" after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's comments about extremist threats in northern Lebanon have stoked fears that Damascus may be planning to reassert control over its neighbor.

The delegation – made of MPs Marwan Hamadeh and Samir Franjieh as well as March 14 coordinator Fares Soaid and National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun – met with Kouchner on Thursday.

Kouchner also stressed "that Paris didn't change its policy and it still considers the security of Lebanon, its sovereignty and independence as vital French interests."

He reportedly told the delegation that "there is no backing out from the international tribunal" that would try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's suspected assassins, adding that the court will start operating beginning next year.

French diplomatic sources told An Nahar that Paris didn't give Syria the green light to return to Lebanon nor to interfere in its internal affairs.

The sources also stressed that there was no international authorization for Damascus to return to Lebanon under any pretext, adding that the Assad regime should abide by international resolutions that are still valid.

They said French authorities have come up with a timetable for Damascus to implement the international community's demands, including the establishment of diplomatic ties with Beirut, the demarcation of the border and controlling smuggling across the frontier.

An Nahar said the March 14 delegation informed French officials that the coalition backs President Michel Suleiman's stances, abides by the Taef and Doha Accords and looks forward for free and fair parliamentary elections next year that will decide the fate of Lebanon and its political and democratic system.

Pan Arab daily al-Hayat said the March 14 delegation will meet on Friday with head of the Middle East and North Africa department at the French foreign ministry Patrice Paoli and Kouchner's adviser on Mideast affairs Christophe Bigot.

The newspaper quoted a well-informed French source as saying on Thursday that France wants to urge the alliance to improve its relations with Syria and not to give Damascus "any pretext to run away from its commitments."

Kouchner, meanwhile, said Wednesday that Assad should implement what has been agreed upon after the Syrian president made a comment that no third party should interfere in Lebanese-Syrian affairs.

Asked about the deployment of Syrian troops on the border with Lebanon, Kouchner said: "I don't know why they put those troops. Are they afraid of something?...What border? There is no border. It has to be demarcated."

He also said that the issue of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms area has to be resolved in response to a question if he will bring up the issue during his two-day visit to Israel on Saturday.