The Syrian National Council (SNC) issued a historic statement this week calling for new relations between Syria and Lebanon in post-Assad Syria. The Council announced its plans to reconsider the agreements signed between Lebanon and Syria and forge new ones which would take into account the interests of both countries. "Democracy in Syria is the best support for Lebanon's independence," the Council said.

The SNC called for the dissolution of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, a committee established in post-war Lebanon to govern relations between Lebanon and Syria, which came to be perceived as a Syrian tool to interfere in Lebanese affairs. The SNC called for instituting proper diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Despite the success of the 2005 Cedar Revolution in putting an end to Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs, the Lebanese security-intelligence network is known for its strong ties with the Syrian government and has been implicated in various security incidents over the past year.

Last weekend, Syrian dissident Khalid Hassan was detained on labor charges but said that his detention was political. Hassan, a critic of Syrian President Bashar Assad, had demonstrated against Syrian President Bashar Assad outside the Syrian Embassy in April of last year.

On the same day, Lebanese Amy Intelligence detained three Syrian activists in the Bekaa, while three Lebanese fishermen were released after their capture by Syrian naval forces. By the same token, the Syrian Embassy and Lebanese security forces were implicated in attacks on anti-Assad activists in Beirut earlier last year.

Another bone of contention between the two countries is the urgency of demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian borders. The lack of demarcation allows continued violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, smuggling of weapons across the borders, and attacks on Lebanese and Syrian nationals in bordering towns. Syrians fleeing violence and Lebanese living in those towns find no personal safety in Lebanon due to constant threats and attacks.

In addition, Lebanese families have been calling for the release of missing nationals from Syrian prisons - an issue that was never properly addressed by the Lebanese or the Syrian governments. Thousands of Lebanese went missing in the 15-year civil war and their families have heard nothing about their fate since. Some are believed to be held in Syrian prisons, but the Syrian authorities have not responded to requests for information or release.

Given all the contentious issues, the SNC letter was welcomed by many Lebanese groups, including March 14 leaders, who have been voicing similar concerns for years. Pro-Syrian allies, such as former minister Abdul Rahim Mrad, criticized the statement, claiming that it sabotages the special relationship between Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah has not publicly reacted to the statement yet, but the group has criticized SNC spokesperson Burhan Ghalioun and is unlikely to support new relations that would undercut its own with the Syrian government.

The uprising has posed economic and security challenges for Lebanon, but it also offers promise for a fresh start between Lebanon and Syria. Despite the establishment of a Syrian Embassy in Beirut, relations between the two countries continue to go through informal channels. In order to transform the relationship into an mutually beneficial one, Lebanon and the emerging Syria need to fortify state-to-state relations and demonstrate mutual respect to each country's sovereignty rather than allow unrest in one country wreck the stability of its neighbor.