Beirut, Feb. 17 (SANA) Lebanon and Syria are working to build relations based on trust, shared interests and mutual respect for sovereignty, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said.
In an interview with Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, Mitri said talks between Beirut and Damascus are ongoing on a range of issues and that cooperation extends beyond the issue of Syrian detainees held in Lebanon.
He said coordination between the two countries includes border control and the return of Syrian refugees. Around 500,000 Syrians returned from Lebanon to Syria over the past year, he said, adding that such returns required joint coordination.
Mitri described the issue of border demarcation between the two countries as “currently postponed” and not a priority, but said all matters of mutual concern remain under discussion.
Addressing Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian territories, Mitri said Israel’s military and air superiority pose a threat to regional security and that a shared perception of this threat has contributed to closer ties among countries in the region.
Earlier this month, Beirut and Damascus signed an agreement to transfer convicted Syrian prisoners from Lebanon to Syria as part of efforts to resolve the detainee file.
Mitri visited Syria on Nov. 20, 2025, where he met President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other senior officials to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation.
