Damascus  - Syria and Lebanon can build a "bright future" together, Lebanese Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun said Wednesday after talks in Damascus with President Bashar al-Assad.

Aoun said Damascus and Beirut were seeking to put aside their past differences and "turn a new page where there is no victor and no loser".

"This is a return to normal relations, of the past and build a bright future together," Aoun told a press conference after his meeting with Assad at the People's Palace.

"Talks with President Bashar al-Assad were frank, clear and touched many themes," the former army chief added.

After an aborted "war of liberation" against Damascus during the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), Aoun, who was the head of a Christian interim government, was forced out of Lebanon in 1990.

He returned from France in May 2005, one month after the end of Syria's 30 years of military presence in Lebanon.

"This is an old story that is now over. We must have better relations with Syria," stressed Aoun.

Syria was forced to leave Lebanon after the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, whose allies accuse Damascus of being behind his killing - a charge Syria vehemently denies.

Aoun's visit has garnered wide criticism from anti-Syrian Christian leaders.

Shrugging off such criticism, Aoun said his mission was justified now that diplomatic ties have been established between the two countries.

Last October, Syria and Lebanon opened diplomatic ties for the first time.

During Aoun's five-day visit to Syria, he is scheduled to hold talks with several officials and visit Christian holy cities.

Aoun visited Iran in October and held talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (dpa)