Syrian Foreign Minister Meets Lebanese Parliament Speaker; No Hezbollah Talks Scheduled

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Sheibaneh indicated to journalists following his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri that no encounter with Hezbollah has been arranged for today, citing scheduling conflicts as the reason.

However, Sheibaneh emphasized that Damascus maintains an openness to engaging with the party in the future, provided such discussions would advance the mutual interests of both Lebanon and Syria.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry reported that discussions between Sheibaneh and President Joseph Aoun centered on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. The talks were conducted within a framework emphasizing mutual respect and good neighborly relations, while also exploring mechanisms to enhance economic cooperation and reviewing recent regional and international developments.

The visit comes as a Kataeb Party delegation, led by deputy Sami Gemayel, visited the Presidential Palace in Baabda for talks with President Aoun. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Berri received Sheibaneh at the Ain al-Tineh residence.

In related developments, Samir Geagea commented on the Lebanon-Israel agreement, characterizing it as an opportunity to restore effective state authority and end the military dominance of Hezbollah in Lebanese territory.