Syria and Lebanon Reach Major Breakthrough in Bilateral Talks
Daniel Khalili-Tari | Al Jazeera English
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa concluded talks in Damascus with significant agreements on security, transport, energy, and prisoner issues. A key focus was the release of over 2,000 Syrian detainees in Lebanon, as both sides also addressed border security and a common stance against Hezbollah.
On March 29, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa concluded their talks in the capital Damascus, focusing on shared interests between the two countries. This marked Salam's second official visit to Syria since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in an opposition offensive led by al-Sharaa nearly 18 months ago.
Speaking after the talks, Prime Minister Salam said the two sides had achieved "major progress" in discussions on security, transport, infrastructure, and the economy. He stressed: "We discussed continuing efforts to resolve the issue of detained Syrians [in Lebanon] and clarifying the fate of the missing and detained in both countries."
A key focus was the release of more than 2,000 Syrian citizens held in Lebanon on charges ranging from "terrorism" to attacks on the Lebanese army. Last month, 130 Syrian prisoners were transferred from Lebanon to Syria to serve the remainder of their sentences. President al-Sharaa considers this a top priority.
On the issue of Hezbollah, both the Lebanese and Syrian governments share a common stance opposing the group. After al-Assad's downfall, Hezbollah's crucial supply route from Iran via Syria was cut off. The Lebanese government has pledged to disarm the group but faces significant challenges, raising concerns about the risk of civil war. Syria says it has dismantled several "Hezbollah networks" plotting to assassinate senior Syrian officials.
Border security also remains a priority, as the 330-kilometer frontier between the two countries is frequently exploited for smuggling people, goods, drugs, and weapons. Since al-Assad lost power, Damascus has intensified crackdown operations and arrests.
The visit comes as Lebanon prepares for the next round of direct talks with Israel in Washington next week, scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Prime Minister Salam said he would prioritize consolidating the current ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which has been in effect since mid-April but has been criticized for repeated Israeli strikes on targets in Lebanon, including the capital Beirut. Salam stressed that Lebanon will focus on ending attacks on the country, securing the release of prisoners, and agreeing on a timetable for Israel's withdrawal.
