Lebanon to work with Syria to strengthen borders By Reuters

In Tala Ramadan

(Reuters) – Lebanon and Syria will work together to secure their country’s borders, as well as clarify land and sea borders, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Saturday in Damascus.

In the first visit by a Lebanese prime minister to neighboring Syria in 15 years, Mikati gave a speech at a joint news conference in Damascus with high-ranking Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Al-Sharaa said they discussed issues including smuggling between the two countries, border problems, and Syrian deposits in Lebanese banks.

Both sides agreed to form committees to deal with these issues and provide support.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said after his election on Thursday that there was a historic opportunity for “deep and equal dialogue” with Syria.

For most of the Assad family’s five decades in power, Syria had a strong influence in Lebanon, maintaining a military presence there for 29 years until 2005 in the face of widespread opposition from to many Lebanese.