BEIRUT, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Minister of State for Foreign Trade Hassan Mourad said on Wednesday that Lebanon should establish good relations with Syria.

"Syria is Lebanon's trade gate to the rest of the Arab world and it's in Lebanon's interests to build ties with Syria," Mourad was quoted as saying by local news agency Akhbar al-Yawm.

"As a minister in charge of Lebanon's trade matters, I will be soon getting in contact with Syria on this topic," he added.

Some political parties in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, the Amal movement and the Free Patriotic Movement, have been urging the government to normalize ties with Syria to solve the issue of refugees, take part in Syria's reconstruction and promote mutual trade.

However, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has, on many occasions, voiced his objection to a direct dialogue with the Syrian government on any issue.