Syrian foreign minister visits Beirut as countries seek to rebuild strained ties after Assad's ouste

Описание: (10 Oct 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut - 10 October 2025
1. Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani getting out of car, shaking hands with Lebanese counterpart Joe Rajji
2. Mid of al-Shibani and Rajji seated ahead of talks
3. Wide of bilateral talks
4. Various of al-Shibani and delegation
5. Mid of Rajji and officials
6. Wide of al-Shibani and Rajji at news conference
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Asaad al-Shibani, Syrian foreign minister:
“This visit signals Syria's new approach towards Lebanon. We have the utmost respect for Lebanon and recognise its sovereignty, while refraining from interfering in its internal affairs. We want to overcome the past obstacles that we were also a victim of, arising from the poor relationship or poor political management between the two countries. Today, there is a historical, political and economic opportunity. Therefore, we must transform the relationship between Syria and Lebanon from the tensest security relationship in the past into an advanced political and economic relationship for the benefit of our people."
8. Mid of media
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Asaad al-Shibani, Syrian foreign minister:
“We would like to thank Lebanon for hosting Syrian refugees during this past period. We also thank them for bearing this burden despite the pressure they face internally and the difficult economic situation in Lebanon. We hope this situation will be resolved as soon as possible.”
10. Mid of reporters
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Joe Rajji, Lebanese foreign minister:
“We have officially received from the Syrian government a report on suspending the work of the Supreme Council of the Syrian Lebanese, and hopefully soon we will finally remove it from the law. Relations have finally become between the two countries, between the governments, directly through diplomacy, just like in any other country.”
12. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on Friday called for a transformation in relations between his country and Lebanon during a visit to neighboring Beirut.

In the first high-profile Syrian visit since insurgent groups overthrew President Bashar Assad’s government in early December 2024, Shibani met with his Lebanese counterpart and is expected to meet with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

"Today, there is a historical, political and economic opportunity," he told reporters following the meeting with Lebanese foreign minister, Joe Rajji.

"Therefore, we must transform the relationship between Syria and Lebanon from the tensest security relationship in the past into an advanced political and economic relationship for the benefit of our people."

Lebanon and Syria have been working to rebuild strained ties, focusing on the status of roughly 2,000 Syrian nationals detained in Lebanese prisons, border security, locating Lebanese nationals missing in Syria for years and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees.

The current Syrian leadership resents Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group for taking part in Syria’s civil war, fighting alongside Assad’s forces, while many Lebanese still grudge Syria’s 29-year domination of its smaller neighbor, where it had a military presence for three decades until 2005.

Following their meeting, al-Shibani and Rajji announced that the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council has been suspended and all dealings will be restricted to official diplomatic channels.

Created in 1991, the council symbolized Syria’s influence over Lebanon.


In recent years, the council was largely inactive, with only limited contact between officials.




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