The meeting held on the sidelines of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, Qatar, addressed files of mutual cooperation, especially the demarcation of maritime borders and the issue of Syrian refugees. Al-Shara expressed his satisfaction with the beginning of the return of groups of them to Syria. The meeting emphasized following up on the points discussed between the Lebanese and Syrian delegations in Beirut, particularly the detainees’ file, and the importance of judicial cooperation to resolve it according to the laws, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency.
The presidents agreed to continue communication through the foreign ministers and to form specialized committees, including an economic committee and a security committee, in addition to enhancing efforts to secure stability and exchange official visits. They also discussed economic files and the issue of maritime transport, alongside the situation in the south amidst the ongoing Israeli occupation, where Aoun briefed Al-Shara on ongoing contacts to establish stability.
The Syrian-Lebanese border witnessed tensions last March after the ministry announced the killing and injuring of several of its members following an ambush reportedly carried out by Lebanese Hezbollah militants. Clashes erupted between the Syrian and Lebanese armies, lasting several days before the defense ministries of both countries announced reaching an agreement to cease the clashes. On March 19th, the Syrian and Lebanese armies agreed on the withdrawal of army units from the village of Housh Al-Sayed Ali, located on the border between the two countries, and ensured the return of civilians to it. In the same month, Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting between the Syrian and Lebanese defense ministers, during which an agreement was signed, emphasizing the importance of border demarcation between the two countries.
