A Syrian Delegation in Beirut to Discuss the Fate of Displaced Persons and Security and Electricity Cooperation

A high-level Syrian delegation is arriving in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, at the end of this week for an official visit aimed at discussing several contentious and shared issues between the two countries, according to official sources reported today, Monday, August 25.

According to the sources, the visit comes as part of a new Syrian approach to strengthen relations with Lebanon, after years of tensions, as the delegation will hold a series of meetings with senior Lebanese officials to discuss sensitive files, most notably the issue of Syrian displaced persons, prisoners, and wanted fugitives in Syrian territory, in addition to border cooperation and electricity import from Syria.

The upcoming discussions will include addressing the status of the shared borders, which have long been a source of tension between the two countries due to illegal smuggling activities, which have led to clashes and security tensions in recent months.

Last March, Lebanese border towns were subjected to shelling originating from Syrian territory, resulting in the deaths of seven Lebanese civilians and injuring 52 others, prompting the Lebanese army to respond to the sources of fire, in an incident that nearly sparked a new crisis between the two countries.

In the humanitarian context, the issue of Syrian prisoners in Lebanese prisons is at the top of the delegation's agenda, especially after repeated protests by dozens of them demanding their release and repatriation to Syria.

The two sides will also discuss the issue of Lebanese wanted persons who have fled into Syrian territory.

Among the most prominent items on the agenda is the issue of Syrian displaced persons in Lebanon, whose number is currently estimated at about one million refugees, despite the return of hundreds of them to their homes since the fall of the previous Syrian regime in December 2024, after more than a decade of war and destruction.

The Syrian delegation will also explore the possibility of activating agreements for electricity import from Syria to Lebanon, in an attempt to alleviate the energy crisis that the country has been suffering from for years.

These Syrian moves come after a fundamental change in the Syrian political scene, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime at the end of last year.

Since the new president, Ahmad al-Shara, took office, the new Syrian government has confirmed its intention to build balanced relations with all neighboring countries.

The Lebanese Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, visited Damascus last April, where he met President al-Shara, and an agreement was reached to open a new page of bilateral cooperation, covering political, economic, and security fields.

The visit of the Syrian delegation to Beirut represents an advanced step in this new path and could mark an important turning point in the relationship between Damascus and Beirut if it culminates in practical understandings and tangible solutions to the outstanding issues.