Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani held talks in Beirut on Friday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji on bilateral relations and the situation of Syria.
The talks focused on the latest regional developments and ways to enhance coordination between Damascus and Beirut to serve the interests of the two countries.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Justice, Mazhar Al-Weiss, and Head of the General Intelligence Service Hussein Al-Salama.
Following his meeting with President Aoun, al-Shaibani told reporters that Syria is working with Lebanon to “establish trade and investment relations” as Syria enters “a phase of recovery and reconstruction, which must be reflected in Lebanon. “
He thanked Lebanon for hosting Syrian refugees and noted that Damascus is “working on their return” according to an international plan.
The minister said that he has delivered an official invitation to President Aoun to visit Damascus and did not rule out a visit by Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa to Beirut in the near future.
Earlier, al-Shaibani said at a joint press conference with his counterpart Youssef Rajji that his visit to Beirut reflects the “new direction of Syria, which holds deep respect for Lebanon.”
“We are working to restore relations with Lebanon based on mutual interests and the policy of good neighborliness,” al-Shaibani said, noting that Syria is working with Lebanon to move beyond past mistakes.
For his part, the Lebanese Foreign Minister pointed out that there is goodwill between Lebanon and Syria in committing to building strong bilateral relations, noting that both countries are embarking on a new path toward development, economic prosperity, and mutual cooperation.
Nisreen / Abdull
