News that Syria and Lebanon have established diplomatic ties is welcome and long overdue.

The move should ease tensions between the two countries and will hopefully usher in a time of improved relations, greater stability and a focus on mutual interests.

That would certainly benefit not only the two countries but the region in general.

With the world economy in disarray and tensions in the region ever high, at least one part appears to be heading in the right direction. It is now time for politicians and leaders in both Lebanon and Syria to act on this momentum to ensure that there is no going back.

It won’t be easy. Mutual suspicions are high and many parties, including external players, would like to see Syrian-Lebanese reconciliation fail. Extremists on the ground also have reason to fear a normalisation of relations since they will stand to lose the most.

It is partly for this reason that other countries in the region must do their best to facilitate the normalisation of relations between Syria and Lebanon. The region can ill-afford more problems and indeed stands to gain much from better Syrian-Lebanese relations.

Stability in Lebanon is a regional priority, and an easing of US-Syrian tension will have a positive effect throughout the Arab world.

Of course, Washington needs to play along with this, and while that is unlikely under this administration, at least now some of the groundwork is prepared for better relations with the next administration.

Now it is up to mature leadership in both countries to ensure that this momentum is not lost. Perhaps, then, we will look back at October 15 as a turning point in this region’s turbulent recent history.