Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani received on Monday a high-level Lebanese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri in the Syrian capital, Damascus, for talks on outstanding issues between the neighboring countries.
Informed sources in Damascus told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Syrian side focused heavily on border control and joint security cooperation and coordination, while the Lebanese side focused primarily on the file of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
A Syrian Foreign Ministry statement said: "The meeting discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly nations and develop joint coordination across various fields, primarily security cooperation and border control. This is in addition to expanding the horizons of partnership in the sectors of education, higher education, social affairs, and labor, as well as following up on the work of joint technical committees to serve mutual interests."
The Lebanese delegation's visit to Damascus comes within the context of strengthening bilateral relations, serving as a continuation of previous talks and a follow-up on the work of the joint committees established between the two sides to address shared files.
This follows an agreement reached by both countries last July to establish a joint higher committee to serve as an institutional framework for coordinating the work of the relevant ministries, developing economic, investment, and trade cooperation, and reinforcing security understandings.
According to informed sources in Damascus, the management of the Syrian–Lebanese border, traffic at border crossings, and security coordination to combat smuggling and infiltration topped the agenda of the talks.
The file of Syrian refugees and the status of residents in Lebanon, particularly those who entered covertly, was brought forward. The discussions sought to address the refugee issue from multiple dimensions, including social, security, and legal aspects. The situation of Syrian students in Lebanese schools was also raised.
