The Damascus-Beirut road has witnessed a significant political movement, with Lebanese party figures and leaders frequently traveling back and forth to the Syrian capital. Today marked the visit of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to Syria, which is the culmination of this political activity. The increased movement towards Damascus is a result of escalating tensions within the Lebanese government (the Troika).
Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam emphasized Syria’s commitment to neutrality towards the factions within the Lebanese Troika. He expressed Syria’s desire to facilitate consensus and national reconciliation among the governing pillars. Meanwhile, preparations are underway in Beirut to welcome Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad for the first Syrian-Lebanese summit.
Lebanese visitors to Damascus, who met with Abdel Halim Khaddam, conveyed that Syria refrains from interfering in Lebanese internal disputes and maintains an equal distance from all parties. Syria aims to foster agreement among Lebanese authorities and national consensus to effectively address the challenges at hand. Khaddam called upon everyone to ease tensions, maintain composure, and rise to the occasion given the delicate phase Lebanon and the region are going through.
Among the delegations that met with Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam were MP Ali Khalil, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Committee, as well as a delegation from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, including party leader Ali Qansu, Supreme Council Chairman Essam Mahayri, and Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi, Secretary General of the Islamic Group. Yesterday, the Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Dr. Mohammed Rashid Qabbani, also visited Damascus and held discussions with Abdel Halim Khaddam.
These delegations and personalities conveyed the anxiety felt by the Lebanese people due to the deteriorating political performance and sharp disagreements among government factions, particularly between Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri and their respective supporters. Such disagreements have led to insults, accusations, and tensions, exacerbating the economic and social crisis in Lebanon, alongside daily Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory.
Khaddam reassured all those he met regarding Syria’s steadfast support for Lebanon and its legitimate institutions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining economic, political, and security stability. He urged unity and cohesion to confront the critical phase, emphasizing the need for calm and careful handling of Lebanese issues.
On Wednesday, meetings of the Syrian-Lebanese Joint Committee, chaired by the Prime Ministers of both countries, Mahmoud Al-Zoubi and Rafiq Hariri, will be held in Damascus. The committee will be joined by the agriculture ministers of both countries to discuss a comprehensive agricultural agreement, set to be signed at the conclusion of the meetings.
President Hafez Al-Assad is expected to receive Rafiq Hariri during his visit to Damascus today, following his meeting with Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam. They will discuss the latest developments in the Lebanese arena. However, President Al-Assad’s upcoming visit to Lebanon in the coming days, where he will meet with President Elias Hraoui and preside over the Syrian side in the meetings of the Syrian-Lebanese Supreme Council, is unlikely to take place.