Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Sheibani arrived in Beirut today, Friday, on an official visit—the first of its kind since the fall of the former Syrian regime in December 2024—responding to an invitation from his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun.
During his visit, Al-Sheibani is expected to meet with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. So far, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry has not issued a statement detailing the agenda.
Key Issues on the Table
The talks will focus on several longstanding issues between the two countries, notably:
The status of Lebanese detainees held in Syrian prisons.
Border control and efforts to prevent smuggling.
The situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a sensitive humanitarian and political matter.
In September, both countries agreed to form two specialized committees to prepare legal texts: one for a joint judicial agreement and another for border regulation.
These talks come amid several recent security tensions along the shared border, including clashes, smuggling operations, and an airstrike from Syrian territory on Lebanese border towns in March, causing casualties and prompting retaliatory fire from the Lebanese army.
Meanwhile, Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons have staged protests demanding release and return to Syria, adding further complexity to bilateral relations.
Background of Bilateral Relations
Lebanese-Syrian relations have been fraught with tension in recent years, particularly under the previous Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad, who received support from Hezbollah, while facing opposition from various Lebanese political factions.
Lebanon currently hosts around one million Syrian refugees, with hundreds having returned to Syria following the regime’s fall in December 2024.
