Syria’s FM pays Lebanon first official visit since Assad’s fall: What to know
Lebanon and post-Assad Syria are seeking to rebuild their relations by addressing longstanding issues that caused tension between the two countries for decades.
BEIRUT — Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani held a series of meetings with top Lebanese officials during a visit to Beirut on Friday, the first by a Syrian official since the fall of the Assad regime late last year, as the two countries seek to rebuild their relations after decades of tension and conflict.
Shibani arrived in Beirut early on Friday at the head of a delegation that included Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, General Intelligence Directorate chief Hussein al-Salama and Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs Maj. Gen. Abdel Qader Tahan, according to Syria’s state-run news agency SANA.
Upon his arrival in the Lebanese capital, Shibani met with his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef al-Rajji.
“We want to move past the obstacles of the past between our two countries, as we were both victims of poor political management,” he told reporters.
