Syrian FM in Beirut on first high-profile visit since al-Assad era

Landmark sojourn sees nations seeking solutions to borderline issues, presumption of Syrian prisoners and destiny of Syrian refugees.

Syria’s overseas curate has held talks with elder Lebanese authorities figures successful Beirut arsenic the countries question to reset ties aft decades of belligerent relations, borne of engagement successful each other’s ruinous civilian wars and occupation, accrued during the reign of the al-Assad family.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said connected Friday that his visit, the archetypal to its neighbour by a elder person of the fledgling government, demonstrated “a caller Syrian attack towards Lebanon” that would “overcome the obstacles of the past”, alluding to the al-Assad clan’s decades-long power implicit Lebanese affairs.

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Attending a associated quality conference, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji concurred, saying that the neighbours, which regularly clash implicit their shared 330-kilometre (205-mile) border, were forging a “new path”.

Key issues see the border, the presumption of 2,000 Syrian prisoners successful Lebanese jails, locating Lebanese nationals missing successful Syria for years, and facilitating the instrumentality of Syrian refugees.

More than a cardinal Syrians fled their country’s 14-year civilian warfare for Lebanon – though the United Nations exile bureau says much than 294,000 person returned location this year.

After gathering President Joseph Aoun, al-Shaibani said the exile contented would beryllium resolved gradually. “There are plans that we are discussing now, with planetary support, for the dignified and unchangeable return” of refugees, helium said.

On the borderline issue, Lebanon and Syria’s defence ministers signed an statement past March to code information threats aft clashes near 10 dead.

‘Respect for sovereignty’

The 2 countries person to flooded decades of communal mistrust.

The caller Syrian authorities led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which overthrew Bashar al-Assad successful a lightning rebel violative past December, harbours heavy resentment implicit the Lebanese equipped radical Hezbollah’s relation successful warring alongside al-Assad forces successful Syria’s civilian war, propping up his authoritarian regularisation for years.

And galore Lebanese inactive clasp a grudge implicit Syria’s 29-year domination of its smaller neighbour, wherever it had a subject beingness for 3 decades and assassinated galore officials successful Lebanon opposed to its rule.

Syria had go the ascendant powerfulness successful Lebanon aft erstwhile president Hafez al-Assad intervened successful its 1975-1990 civilian war. His lad Bashar withdrew troops successful 2005 pursuing wide protests triggered by the sidesplitting of erstwhile Lebanese premier curate Rafik Hariri, blamed connected al-Assad and Hezbollah.

Bridge-building betwixt the 2 countries has gathered momentum pursuing al-Assad’s ouster and Hezbollah’s important losses during its caller warfare with Israel. The radical had mislaid a large state and proviso way with al-Assad’s removal.

Al-Shaibani, who was accompanied by a delegation that included Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, reiterated Syria’s “respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty,” saying Damascus seeks to “move past erstwhile obstacles and fortify bilateral ties”.

In December, al-Sharaa said his state would not interfere successful Lebanon and would respect its neighbour’s sovereignty.