Sources from the Lebanese delegation that accompanied President Michel Aoun to Russia said the visit was very successful and the beginning of a new and productive phase between the two countries at various levels.
The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to all the proposals presented by the Lebanese delegation and asked the team that participated in the extended meeting to put them into action.
The sources indicated that there were no talks about agreements or military assistance.
They emphasized, however, that the two sides decided to activate the tripartite process by Russia, Lebanon and Syria for the return of the displaced, based on the Russian initiative, in parallel with the plan of the organized return launched by the Lebanese State Security.
The sources explained that Russia would help Syria to prepare for the safe and peaceful return of refugees, after determining safe and secure areas to accommodate them.
Moscow has also pledged to assist in reconstruction and to provide other technical facilities.
While the Lebanese side reiterated its refusal to link the return of the displaced to the political solution in Syria, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov suggested that Lebanon participate in the Astana Conference on Syria next month as an observer, the sources said.
On a different note, the Lebanese and Russian sides agreed to activate trade exchange between the two countries, which had dropped by 26% in recent years. In this regard, Putin called for finding new areas of cooperation and activating joint bilateral agreements.
