Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, hosted Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, in Damascus on Saturday, the first visit by a Lebanese premier to Syria in 15 years. The two leaders discussed ways to improve long-standing and often tense relations between their countries, with a particular emphasis on securing their shared border.
Such a diplomatic visit comes after some strained and complex ties have cut between these two nations, who have shared a history of territorial disputes and political tensions. The discussions were regarding border security at this time and the crisis over Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Mikati stated that the two nations were concerned most with demarcating their borders, land and sea, in order to end smuggling and strengthen security. A second pressing matter discussed was the return of Syrian refugees. Lebanon currently houses almost 800,000 Syrians, though estimates indicate that the actual number is far greater. The Lebanese claim that the refugee population burdens their underperforming public services.
Al-Sharaa emphasized border security like Mikati, and hoped that the relationship between Lebanon and Syria would be improved, appealing to the Lebanese people to leave the negative experiences they had with Syria behind. He also spoke of the Syrian deposits in Lebanese banks, which were inaccessible because of the financial crisis in Lebanon.
This visit is coming at a time of renewed diplomatic openness, with Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, also underlining the possibility of “serious and equitable dialogue” with Syria. The collaboration between Lebanon and Syria is intended to chart a new path forward in the wake of years of geopolitical tension.
