Beirut: Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun met Friday in Beirut with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations and address shared concerns between the two neighboring countries. Following the meeting, Al Shaibani told reporters that Syria is undergoing a phase of recovery and reconstruction, and this should positively reflect on Lebanon and our mutual relations.

According to Qatar News Agency, Al Shaibani added that he expects all obstacles hindering the openness between Lebanon and Syria to be resolved in a way that benefits both peoples. In a related development, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji held extended talks with his Syrian counterpart, covering various aspects of joint cooperation.

Raji described Al Shaibani’s visit as historic and long-awaited, emphasizing that it reflects a genuine and serious desire from both sides to elevate bilateral relations across political, security, economic, and other domains in a manner that serves the interests and sovereignty of both nations. Al Shaibani echoed the sentiment, calling it a historic opportunity to expand the scope of cooperation beyond political and security matters, and proposed the formation of joint cooperation councils across multiple sectors.