Syria’s FM visits Lebanon as both nations seek to rebuild ties

Beirut: Syria’s foreign minister arrived in Lebanon’s capital on Friday in what observers say could mark a breakthrough in relations between the two neighbours, which have been tense for decades.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani held talks with his Lebanese counterpart and is expected to meet with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. It was the first high-profile Syrian visit to Lebanon since insurgent groups overthrew President Bashar Assad’s government in early December 2024.

Lebanon and Syria have been working to rebuild strained ties, focusing on the status of roughly 2,000 Syrian nationals detained in Lebanese prisons, border security, locating Lebanese nationals missing in Syria for years and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees. The current Syrian leadership resents Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group for taking part in Syria’s civil war, fighting alongside Assad’s forces, while many Lebanese still grudge Syria’s 29-year domination of its smaller neighbour, where it had a military presence for three decades until 2005. Following their meeting, al-Shibani and Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji announced at a news conference that the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council has been suspended and all dealings will be restricted to official diplomatic channels. Created in 1991, the council symbolised Syria’s influence over Lebanon.

Its role declined after Syria’s 2005 withdrawal, the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the 2008 opening of the Syrian Embassy in Beirut, which marked Syria’s first official recognition of Lebanon.agencies