Lebanese Prime Minister Visits Syria..."Building long-term and strategic relationships"

Reuters and others reported that Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited Damascus, Syria, on the 11th local time to discuss pending bilateral issues with Ahmed al-Shara, the transitional government's chief executive.

At a joint press conference, Mikati said he discussed demarcation of maritime and land borders and depositing Syrian funds in Lebanese banks and decided to set up a commission to address such issues.

"We and Lebanon share a huge stake, we envision a long-term and strategic relationship on a solid foundation," Alshara said.

This is Lebanon's first visit to Syria since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Syria kept troops in Lebanon for 29 years until 2005 in the name of Lebanon's civil war under Bashar al-Assad.

Since then, pro-Syrian forces, including armed Hezbollah, have been influencing Lebanon's politics and other areas.

However, following the ouster of the Assad regime by Syrian rebels led by Al-Shara last month, Chief of Staff Gen. Zap Aoun, who is considered pro-Western, was elected president on the 9th, and both countries are rapidly narrowing their positions of Shiite Islamist forces.

Lebanon has been vacant for more than two years since former President Michel Aoun, who was close to Hezbollah, left office in October 2022 and failed to produce an elected president even after 12 votes were cast.

In his inaugural address, Aoun said government forces would use weapons exclusively and expressed a willingness to prevent an armed conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

He also said there was a historical opportunity for serious and equitable dialogue with Syria.

Analysts believe the support of Saudi Arabia, the Sunni leader, was crucial to Aoun's election.

In a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, President Aoun said he would go to Saudi Arabia as his first official overseas visit, AFP reported.