Lebanon’s PM meets Syria’s de facto leader in Damascus

Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s interim prime minister, has stated that Beirut and Damascus will work together to define both land and sea borders as well as secure them.

In Damascus on Saturday, Mikati and Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa held a joint press conference, marking the first time a Lebanese prime minister has traveled there for 15 years.

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

He said he expected “long-term strategic relations” with neighbouring Lebanon after the crisis-hit country elected a much-needed president.

“We and Lebanon have great shared interests”, al-Sharaa added.

Both parties agreed to set up support- and committees to address these issues.

Al Jazeera’s Hamza Mohamed, reporting from Damascus, said the two leaders agreed to work to prevent smuggling between the two countries.

“Smugglers used to send weapons and drugs from Syria into Lebanon”, he said.

Our correspondent continued, “The Lebanese leader mentioned that, and he was very important.”

Lebanon’s eastern border is porous and known for smuggling.

During Syria’s civil war, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah backed al-Assad with its members.

The Iran-aligned movement’s strength has been weakened, however, as a result of the Syrian rebels’ defeat of Damascus last month. A conflict with Israel led to the death of its longtime leader and the group’s firepower.

Refugees

Al Jazeera’s Mohamed added that al-Sharaa stressed that his nation was working to address the country’s sluggish economy’s problem with the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

About 1.5 million Syrian refugees who fled the country’s civil war, which started in 2011, are thought to be residing in Lebanon.

More than half a million people have been killed by the conflict, more than half of them have been killed internally and externally, and millions have been forced to flee their homes.

Lebanon’s newly elected President Joseph Aoun&nbsp, said on Thursday that there was a historic opportunity for “serious and equitable dialogue” with Syria.

Syria maintained a military presence in Lebanon for the majority of the al-Assad family’s five decades of power, despite widespread opposition from many Lebanese.