Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani sought on Thursday to allay Lebanese fears of possible Syrian military intervention, assuring that Damascus had “no intention of taking any military step.”
The assurance came during his visit to Beirut, whose meetings extended beyond Lebanese officials, including his first meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, to a broad spectrum of political forces. During the visit, Shibani also expressed Damascus's openness to meeting Hezbollah “if the interest requires it.”
The broad meetings in Beirut conveyed a message of Syrian openness toward Lebanon's political forces. They were the first of their kind between a senior Syrian official and representatives of Lebanese parties, underscoring Damascus' desire to open a new chapter with all Lebanese, across the political spectrum.
The most striking stop was Shibani’s first meeting with Berri, one of Hezbollah’s most prominent allies inside Lebanon.
Afterward, Shibani described the meeting as excellent. He also said a future meeting with Hezbollah was possible “if the interest requires it,” while stressing that no such meeting was scheduled during his current visit to Beirut.
Military intervention confusion
Shibani arrived in Lebanon on Thursday morning on his second visit to the neighboring country. He began his meetings with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, during which the Syrian delegation sought to “clarify the confusion” surrounding talk of a Syrian military intervention in Lebanon.
The delegation said “Syria has no intention of taking such a step,” stressing that Damascus wanted to deal with Lebanon “from state to state.”
It said Syria stood by the Lebanese state in its decisions and choices, and wanted to develop bilateral and economic ties while contributing to Lebanon’s security and stability, which it said would also benefit Syria.
Shibani said the visit aimed to strengthen and steadily develop relations between the two countries, praising existing coordination.
He said Syria’s current authorities were working to close the chapter on the mutual interference that had marked relations in the past, and wanted to expand cooperation at all levels while engaging with all Lebanese parties.
Shibani called for continued and stronger coordination between Lebanon and Syria, and for a shared vision for solutions in the region and in both countries.
He pointed to efforts to build a Lebanese-Syrian economic partnership with Gulf states open to the idea, and said coordination through the committee formed by the two countries was important to advance work on the economy, energy and other fields.
Shibani also invited Aoun to visit Damascus and hold a summit with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Aoun
The Lebanese presidency said Aoun “affirmed Lebanon’s commitment to brotherly relations with Syria based on cooperation, coordination and non-interference in the internal affairs of both countries,” and to developing those ties across all fields.
Aoun said such relations were especially important after a previous period of mutual interference that created tension and caution.
He said that the chapter should end through state-to-state relations, respect for each country’s particularity and good neighborly ties, because what affects Syria, positively or negatively, also affects Lebanon, and vice versa.
Aoun welcomed security coordination between the two countries, “particularly in controlling the border and preventing all forms of smuggling, including weapons, drugs and people, in both directions, in the interest of both Lebanon and Syria.”
He also welcomed the formation of a higher committee to safeguard their shared interests.
Aoun said Lebanon was following events in Syria, especially in the south. He said he always calls, in regional and international meetings and contacts, for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon and Syria so the region can enjoy stability and security.
He said he was keen on Syria’s stability, just as Syria was keen on Lebanon’s stability.
Economic cooperation
Shibani also met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. At a joint news conference, the two sides announced the formation of a joint higher committee that Shibani said would serve as “a platform for all relevant ministries to develop economic, investment and trade partnerships, as well as security understandings, and expand cooperation between the two countries.”
Salam said the two sides also discussed electricity interconnection between Lebanon and Syria, transport, the exchange of goods and easier movement across their border, which stretches for more than 300 km.
He said he had discussed those issues with Sharaa during his last visit to Damascus in May.
Dar al-Fatwa
Shibani visited Lebanon’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian. Dar al-Fatwa said the meeting covered Islamic and national affairs, strengthening ties between the two countries, and the importance of consultation, communication, cooperation and coordination between the Lebanese and Syrian states.
Derian praised “the efforts and endeavors of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his keenness on Lebanon’s sovereignty, unity, Arab identity and the extension of its authority over all Lebanese territory.”
Derian placed great importance on the Syrian foreign minister’s visit to Lebanon at a difficult time for the country.
“Lebanon will remain in solidarity and cooperation with Syria and with all brotherly Arab states, away from axes and conflicts that threaten the security of Lebanon and the Arab region,” he said.
Shibani also visited Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai.
Jumblatt
Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt received Shibani.
“Between a balanced and objective relationship with Syria, and an agreement that could lead to worse than the May 17 Agreement, I prefer a balanced relationship with Syria,” Jumblatt said after the meeting.
“A good relationship between Lebanon and Syria is a historical destiny,” he added.
