Lebanese and Syrian officials continued efforts to strengthen communication and coordination on Sunday as Lebanon's Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar visited Damascus and met his Syrian counterpart, Anas Khattab.
The visit marked another step toward reorganizing relations between the two countries, particularly on security and border issues, amid shared challenges and a growing need for cooperation between their respective agencies.
Al-Hajjar met Khattab at the Syrian Interior Ministry headquarters in the first official meeting between the two ministers. Their talks focused on priorities for bilateral cooperation and mechanisms to improve coordination between the relevant authorities.
Syria's Interior Ministry said Minister Anas Khattab had received his Lebanese counterpart and that the meeting reviewed bilateral relations and explored ways to strengthen security cooperation and coordination between the two ministries, serving the interests of both countries and their peoples while reinforcing regional security and stability.
Al-Hajjar arrived at the Syrian Interior Ministry headquarters on Sunday morning, where Khattab welcomed him at an official reception ceremony.
The Lebanese minister was accompanied by Brig. Gen. Sami Nassif, secretary of the Central Internal Security Council, and a delegation from the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities.
Khattab: Committed to Strengthening Relations
Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab described the meeting as special, saying the discussions addressed ways to enhance cooperation and coordination on issues of mutual interest.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Khattab wrote on X that the two sides had reaffirmed the depth of Syrian-Lebanese relations and their shared commitment to developing ties across all fields in ways that would serve the security and stability of both countries and their peoples.
Sources at Lebanon's Interior Ministry said the meeting lasted more than an hour and a half and covered a range of shared issues, particularly security matters.
These included border control, official and unofficial crossings, measures being implemented along the border and the issue of detainees.
Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar also wrote on X that he had been honored to accept an invitation from his Syrian counterpart, Anas Khattab, to visit historic Damascus.
He described stops at the Interior Ministry, the streets of Old Damascus, Bab Touma, the Umayyad Mosque and Mount Qasioun as giving the visit a special character.
Al-Hajjar said the trip had provided an opportunity to discuss cooperation and coordination on several issues, particularly security matters.
He reaffirmed that Lebanon and Syria were brotherly countries and expressed his determination to strengthen cooperation in ways that would serve their shared interests.
The visit follows a series of Lebanese-Syrian contacts and meetings in recent months aimed at developing practical mechanisms to address outstanding bilateral issues.
In August, a joint delegation from Syria's Interior and Foreign Ministries met Al-Hajjar and several senior Lebanese officers in Beirut to discuss major issues of mutual concern and ways to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.
On the eve of his visit to Damascus, Al-Hajjar stressed the importance of improving relations and coordination between Lebanon and Syria, noting that security cooperation had produced positive results in combating drug trafficking and terrorism.
His visit also followed a Lebanese ministerial delegation's trip to Damascus on November 2, led by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.
The delegation included Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar, Education and Higher Education Minister Rima Karami, and Social Affairs Minister Hanine El Sayed, along with a technical delegation from the Interior Ministry.
The Lebanese officials discussed several shared issues with their Syrian counterparts, notably Syrian displacement and the return of refugees, regulating the presence of Syrian nationals in Lebanon, and border control, alongside educational, social and labor matters.
Al-Hajjar had initially been scheduled to join the November 2 visit but postponed his trip to Damascus after an emergency prevented his planned meeting with the Syrian interior minister from taking place.
