Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad’s visit to Beirut yesterday was positive and opened a new page in relations between Syria and Lebanon, according to Syrian official statements.
The Director of the Arab Affairs Department at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, Muhammad Taha Al-Ahmad, revealed details of the understandings reached during the bilateral meetings. Al-Ahmad stated that both sides agreed to extradite Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon, with the exception of those accused of crimes involving innocent blood.
Al-Ahmad said the issue of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons was discussed in three direct meetings with the Lebanese side, and the response was very positive. He expressed hope for overcoming past differences and opening a new page of cooperation between the two countries.
He also pointed out that many fabricated charges were brought against Syrians detained in Lebanon, under harsh conditions inside Lebanese prisons that hold around 2250 Syrians, constituting about a third of the total prisoners there, according to Lebanese judicial sources.
Lebanese prisons have witnessed protests for months by Syrian detainees demanding their release or extradition to Syria, affirming that they are being held for political reasons related to their opposition to the previous Syrian regime, while others complain of harsh detention conditions.
Among the Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon, there are about 700 individuals who meet the extradition conditions, but a formal agreement between the two countries is required to complete the process. The charges against them include some “terrorism” cases, affiliation with extremist armed groups, and charges related to launching attacks on the Lebanese army during the peak of the Syrian conflict that erupted in 2011.
These developments come against the backdrop of a history of significant Syrian influence in Lebanon over three decades, marked by accusations of Syrian intervention in Lebanese affairs, including assassinations of Lebanese officials and confiscation of Lebanon’s sovereign decision.
This new step reflects the desire of both parties to rearrange political and security relations between Syria and Lebanon, and open a new page of cooperation after years of tension and resentment.
