Qatar's ruler has arrived in Beirut to attend an Arab economic summit marred by divisions over readmitting Syria to the Arab League.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's government has been one of the main backers of Syrian insurgents trying to overthrow Bashar Assad.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have reopened their embassies in Damascus, and the visit by Qatar's ruler is widely seen as a first step to restoring relations with Syria.
Sheikh Tamim and the president of Mauritania were the only heads of state from the 22-member Arab League who came to Beirut to attend Sunday's summit.
The other leaders' absence appeared to be a snub to Lebanon, where pro-Syrian groups led by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah had insisted that Assad should be invited.
