Damascus, Jan 11 (IANS) Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati arrived in Damascus on Saturday for talks with Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, marking the first visit by a sitting Lebanese premier to Syria in over a decade, Syrian Al-Watan Online newspaper reported.
Mikati, accompanied by a senior delegation including Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and top security officials, landed at Damascus International Airport aboard a Lebanese commercial flight. The visit follows a formal invitation from al-Sharaa, extended during a phone call last week.
The meeting takes place as Syria navigates a political transition following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad last December. Al-Sharaa, who led the coalition that toppled al-Assad, is now overseeing efforts to stabilise Syria and rebuild its regional relationships.
Relations between the two neighbouring countries have grown tense in recent weeks. Syria recently imposed restrictions on cross-border movement following security incidents along the shared border. Previously, Lebanese citizens could enter Syria visa-free using only identification documents.
The border region has also seen a series of clashes between Syrian armed groups and Lebanese forces, resulting in casualties among Lebanese military personnel.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s newly-elected President Joseph Aoun announced Saturday that he will visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
The Saudi Crown Prince extended the invitation during a phone call with Aoun, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency. Aoun accepted the invitation and said the visit would be his first foreign trip as President, highlighting the kingdom’s pivotal role in supporting Lebanon.
During the phone conversation, the Saudi Crown Prince congratulated Aoun on his election as President. The two leaders also discussed recent developments and ways to strengthen bilateral ties.
Aoun, Lebanon’s former army chief, was elected the 14th President of Lebanon on Thursday, with 99 out of 128 parliamentary votes in the second round of the presidential vote.
His victory marked the end of more than two years of presidential vacancy in Lebanon.
Political division in Lebanon resulted in a vacant presidential position following the end of former President Michel Aoun’s term on October 31, 2022. The parliament had failed to elect a president for the country in 12 electoral sessions. A caretaker government has been running the country during the presidential vacuum.
Joseph Aoun, 60, who is not related to Michel Aoun, is widely considered the preferred candidate of the United States and Saudi Arabia, whose support will be crucial for Lebanon’s reconstruction following a 14-month conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, according to analysts, reports Xinhua news agency.
–IANS
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