Lebanese Prime Minister: "My visit to Damascus opens a new chapter in the path of relations with mutual respect and rebuilding trust."

Prime Minister of Lebanon, Nwaf Salam, stated after his visit to the Syrian President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, today in Damascus, "My visit to Damascus opens a new chapter in our relationship based on mutual respect and rebuilding trust," adding, "Our relationship with Syria is based on preserving sovereignty and non-interference in each other's affairs." It was also reported that an agreement was reached to form a ministerial committee consisting of the ministries of foreign affairs, defense, interior, and justice to follow up on all common interest issues, review agreements between the two countries, including the Lebanese-Syrian Supreme Council. Salam further added, "Discussions were held on cooperation in various fields, opening trade and transit lines, importing oil and gas, examining civil aviation routes, as well as facilitating the safe and dignified return of refugees to their lands and homes with the assistance of the United Nations and friendly countries." Salam invited Al-Sharaa and the Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaaban, to visit Lebanon. Later today, the Lebanese government's presidency stated that Salam and Al-Sharaa discussed border control, crossings, combating smuggling, and demarcating land and sea borders. This visit aimed to enhance dialogue between the two countries on several vital issues, notably delineating common borders, the file of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and ways to develop economic cooperation between the two countries.