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BEIRUT: President Ahmed Al-Sharaa of Syria agreed with his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun to further cooperation on pending issues between the two countries, an official Lebanese source told Arab News.

The agreement came during their meeting on the sidelines of the Arab-Islamic emergency summit in Doha, which the source described as “a turning point in Lebanese-Syrian relations.”

Both leaders raised the issue of border demarcation between the two countries and the return of Syrian refugees. However, the meeting did not address the issue of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons, whom Syria is demanding be returned, but rather left the matter to the judiciary, the source told Arab News.

The meeting between Aoun and Al-Sharaa was described as “friendly.”

The source added that committees formed between the two countries will continue their work through several visits, laying the foundation for the demarcation of land and maritime borders.

“This process will enable state institutions in both countries to expand areas of cooperation and move from limited security coordination to comprehensive collaboration across various ministries, each within its respective jurisdiction,” the source said.

The talks covered land border demarcation, which remains unresolved because of overlapping territorial claims, and underscored the need for stronger cooperation to curb smuggling through illegal crossings. The Syrian side expressed understanding for Lebanon’s demands, it was reported.

Syria is Lebanon’s sole land gateway to the Arab world and beyond. Dozens of crossing points along the border have become key smuggling corridors — particularly for drugs and weapons — with the pace of illicit activity escalating during the Syrian conflict. Hezbollah’s protection of its loyalists in these areas has further fueled instability, with some zones now effectively off-limits even to the Lebanese army.

For his part, the Syrian president welcomed the return of refugees to Syria, pledging to facilitate their reintegration.

About 300 Syrian refugees voluntarily returned from Lebanon less than a week ago as part of a return program facilitated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, in cooperation with the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security.

A Lebanese security source said the number of Syrian detainees and convicts the Syrian side is demanding from the Lebanese authorities exceeds 1,300.

“These Syrians are convicted of terrorism offenses and involved in the events in the outskirts of Arsal in 2013 and 2014. However, the Syrian side does not want to extradite those involved in the killing of the Lebanese army, noting that most of those sentenced to death are for their involvement in the killing of the Lebanese army,” the source told Arab News.

According to UNHCR, up to last week more than 238,000 Syrian refugees had returned from Lebanon since the beginning of the year, while more than 114,000 others have expressed their desire to participate in the voluntary return program.

The border town of Arsal, in east Lebanon, has been nearly emptied of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who had been spread across 40 camps.

Rima Karmbi, a local activist, told Arab News: “The number of Syrian refugees in Arsal has reached 86,000, and only 4 percent remain today. They are preparing to return because they want to be partners in the elections that will be held in their country.”

A Syrians who recently returned to Qusayr told Arab News: “Returning to the town from which we were displaced means starting from scratch. Everything is in ruins. We are working to rebuild our homes. Our children, who were born and raised in Lebanon, are the only ones who are sad about leaving Lebanon and their schoolmates there.”

In a joint statement, the UNHCR and the IOM said the refugee return support program includes cash assistance, legal counseling, and transport services to help ensure sustainable reintegration.

A timetable has been set for voluntary return convoys for refugees from various regions in Lebanon to destinations in Syria over the coming weeks.

The two organizations said they have intensified their efforts in Syria to enhance the reintegration of returnees and reduce the risk of secondary displacement.

“The voluntary return to Syria is accompanied by effective investments in areas of return to create supportive conditions for the safe and dignified reintegration of returnees and ensure long-term sustainability,” the two organizations added.

Lebanon and Syria have officially reopened direct communication channels to resolve long-standing issues between the two countries, including the fate of missing Lebanese citizens in Syria, the status of Syrian detainees held in Lebanon, border demarcation, and efforts to curb cross-border smuggling.

The first step toward cooperation began in early September, when Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri received an official Syrian delegation.

Discussions centered on key bilateral issues and explored ways to address them and foster mutual trust, respect and genuine cooperation between the two countries. Two joint committees have been formed and held their first meeting in Damascus two weeks ago.