The source added in remarks published Saturday that the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has affected Syria-Hizbullah relations.

STL General Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare will visit Paris on November 4 to meet with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and presidency officials, according to the source.

He said Paris' openness to Syria is not linked to the issue of the tribunal, adding that France is fully committed to the STL and Bellemare's mission continues as a result of funding by countries such as France, Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

About Kouchner's decision not to visit Syria following a trip to Lebanon, the source said the French FM cancelled his visit to express condemnation about the arrest of Syrian rights activist Haitham al-Maleh and a decision by Damascus authorities to postpone the signing of the partnership with the EU for economic reasons.