Hezbollah-appointed Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar visited Syria on Monday with three other Lebanese ministers, marking the first time a Hezbollah official has been formally welcomed in Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met the delegation after they entered through the Masnaa-Jdeidet Yabous border, the same crossing that was closed in April over Israeli allegations that Hezbollah was using it to smuggle weapons.
Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Education Minister Rima Karameh, and Social Development Minister Haneen Sayed joined Haidar for a high-level meeting to discuss the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, trade agreements, and border security, according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
Despite Damascus repeatedly accusing Hezbollah of infringing on its sovereignty – alleging as recently as September that cells from the Iran-backed group have planned sabotage attacks – and the fact that Hezbollah backed the former Assad regime, a representative from Hezbollah told L’Orient Today that Damascus was made aware in advance of Haidar’s background.
“We support anything that strengthens relations between the two countries,” the representative said.
Lebanese Ambassador to Damascus Henry Kastoun told L’Orient: “The issue of the resurgence of the Islamic State [ISIS] or of former regime officers who may be in Lebanon is not on the agenda.”
Syrian regime members held secret meeting with Hezbollah officials
Though this was the first official visit, Reuters reported that members of the new Syrian regime had held a secret meeting with Hezbollah officials in Turkey, citing six sources.
A Syrian official said that while Hezbollah’s representatives had not provided a direct answer to the requested halt on arms smuggling and the dismantling of its Syria-based cells, it did pledge not to interfere in Syria’s affairs. Both Syria and Turkey have denied the report. Hezbollah-appointed Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar visited Syria on Monday with three other Lebanese ministers, marking the first time a Hezbollah official has been formally welcomed in Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met the delegation after they entered through the Masnaa-Jdeidet Yabous border, the same crossing that was closed in April over Israeli allegations that Hezbollah was using it to smuggle weapons.
Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Education Minister Rima Karameh, and Social Development Minister Haneen Sayed joined Haidar for a high-level meeting to discuss the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, trade agreements, and border security, according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
Despite Damascus repeatedly accusing Hezbollah of infringing on its sovereignty – alleging as recently as September that cells from the Iran-backed group have planned sabotage attacks – and the fact that Hezbollah backed the former Assad regime, a representative from Hezbollah told L’Orient Today that Damascus was made aware in advance of Haidar’s background.
“We support anything that strengthens relations between the two countries,” the representative said.
Lebanese Ambassador to Damascus Henry Kastoun told L’Orient: “The issue of the resurgence of the Islamic State [ISIS] or of former regime officers who may be in Lebanon is not on the agenda.”
Though this was the first official visit, Reuters reported that members of the new Syrian regime had held a secret meeting with Hezbollah officials in Turkey, citing six sources.
A Syrian official said that while Hezbollah’s representatives had not provided a direct answer to the requested halt on arms smuggling and the dismantling of its Syria-based cells, it did pledge not to interfere in Syria’s affairs. Both Syria and Turkey have denied the report.