A Syrian delegation arrived in Beirut on Monday to meet with the country’s deputy prime minister Tarek Mitri, where they discussed several key issues, including borders, Syrian prisoners in Lebanese jails, and missing people in Syria.
According to Arabic media reports, the Syrian delegation included the director of Arab affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Taha al-Ahmed, and the head of the National Commission for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons, Mohammed Reda Munther Jalakhi, among others.
The meeting centred around the various ways current issues can be addressed in a way that enhances trust and cooperation between the two countries.
One of the main issues on the agenda was the control of the borders between the countries to prevent smuggling, a statement issued by officials following the meeting stated.
Officials further discussed displaced Syrians and how to facilitate their return to their homeland.
The leaders agreed to review and improve policies already in place and to consider future measures that can be taken to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.
It was further decided that two specialised committees would be established to prepare policies ahead of the upcoming visit of Syrian ministers to Beirut.
The latest developments come after reports stated that the meeting between the officials would be held last week, but were postponed by the Syrian side. However, Mitri confirmed that at the time that no official date was set for the meeting, and therefore it was neither cancelled nor postponed.
The discussions come in the wake of renewed efforts between the two countries to resolve outstanding issues, particularly those relating to controlling the borders and maintaining security following bouts of violence that took place in recent months.
Lebanon has already started to implement the voluntary return plan to Syria in cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as started addressing the arbitrary arrests under the now ousted Assad regime, which resulted in thousands of Syrians being arbitrarily arrested in Lebanese prisons.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa previously discussed these matters in April with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Damascus, where they expressed their commitment to solving the issues.
Lebanon, at the time, affirmed it would aid Syrian authorities in handing over wanted persons.
This comes as Lebanon and Syria also engage in talks regarding the opening of new trade lines, extracting oil and gas, and the update of agreements previously decided on between the two countries.