Damascus, 10 May (H.S.):

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Saturday at the People’s Palace in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Ministerial delegations from both countries were also present on the occasion.

According to a report by Syria’s state news agency SANA, the main purpose of the meeting was to strengthen bilateral ties and advance economic and commercial cooperation in pursuit of shared interests.

The report said the two leaders also discussed security coordination to reinforce regional stability and address various challenges. The two sides exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments.

According to Al Jazeera, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa a year ago, and much has changed in Lebanon and Syria since then.

Al Jazeera reported that the two leaders also discussed Israel’s growing aggression in Lebanon. Significantly, Syria was once part of the land route linking Iran and its ally Hezbollah, but that role has sharply declined since the fall of the Assad regime. In recent months, Syria has destroyed several tunnels that were being used in attempts to smuggle weapons into Lebanon. Last week, it also arrested several Hezbollah members, who were allegedly trying to fire rockets at northern Israel.

At present, the governments of Syria and Lebanon appear to be standing together in an effort to curb Hezbollah. More than 2,000 Syrian prisoners are currently being held in Lebanon. The issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon also remains highly significant, as more than 1 million Syrian nationals are still living there as displaced persons.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar