The Lebanese government is preparing for a high-level visit to Damascus at the end of the month, in a move primarily focused on the issues of refugees, missing persons, detainees and border security, amid efforts to open a new chapter between the two countries, despite the legacy of the former Syrian regime and differing priorities.
Political researcher and writer Bassam Suleiman said in an interview with Sky News Arabia that Beirut is prioritizing the return of refugees and reducing their economic and public service burdens, while Damascus is focusing on border control and combating smuggling and infiltration.
He said addressing these issues requires gradual steps linked to Syria’s ability to accommodate returnees and the level of security and judicial understanding between the two sides.
Return Efforts Face Housing and Public Service Challenges
Suleiman explained that the Lebanese technical delegation focused on the refugee issue, estimating the number of Syrians in Lebanon at around one million and pointing to the pressure their presence places on public services and the economy.
However, he stressed the difficulty of returning them voluntarily to a country suffering from destruction, housing shortages and a lack of employment opportunities, saying that available services are already insufficient for people living inside the country.
He added that rising rents are linked to population pressure, destruction and the suspension of construction activities throughout many years of war, meaning that return requires housing, education and livelihood opportunities, rather than merely arrangements for crossing the border.
He called for accelerating a gradual return process in line with improvements in infrastructure and the economy, noting that accommodating these numbers will take years, particularly since the extensive reconstruction process “has not yet begun”, according to his statement.
Border Security Tops Damascus’ Priorities
On the other hand, Suleiman said the Syrian side is focusing on the borders because of drug smuggling and the infiltration of groups linked to remnants of the former regime in both directions, describing these movements as a major security concern for Damascus.
He also pointed to a shared concern over Iran’s attempts to supply Hezbollah with weapons through Syrian territory, arguing that coordination between the two countries aims to confront these routes.
He accused Hezbollah of creating security problems inside Syria and seeking to reactivate drug-smuggling channels, which he described as one of its sources of income.
He expected meetings between the two interior ministers to be dedicated to addressing these issues, stressing that border protection is a shared responsibility, while facilitating commercial transit could support the Lebanese economy and ease pressure on its resources.
Missing Persons… An Issue That Cannot Be Resolved Quickly
Suleiman described the files of missing persons and detainees as part of the legacy of the Assad regime, saying that Syria’s new authorities are working to address its consequences and expecting the completion of certain steps concerning detainees whose whereabouts are known.
As for missing persons, he considered their cases more complicated, citing an estimate of around 150,000 missing Syrians, in addition to hundreds of Lebanese whose whereabouts remain unknown.
He linked the difficulty of determining their fate to what he described as methods used by the former regime to conceal its crimes, arguing that progress requires extensive expertise and international cooperation.
His assessment emphasized the humanitarian dimension of this issue and the difficulty of achieving rapid results that meet families’ expectations.
Detainees Between Judicial and Political Considerations
Regarding the transfer of convicted prisoners from Lebanon to Syria, Suleiman spoke of good progress, while distinguishing this process from the issue of detainees and former regime officers present in Lebanon.
He described the latter as a security and judicial issue with political dimensions, whose resolution is progressing gradually according to understandings between the two countries.
According to his assessment, these issues place bilateral cooperation before the challenge of turning political rapprochement into practical measures, given the different nature of each case and the requirements for resolving it.
Hezbollah and the Limits of Solidarity
Suleiman said Damascus views Lebanon as a brotherly country that should be supported in the face of Israeli attacks. However, he argued that Hezbollah’s role complicates relations because of its ties to Iran and its previous intervention in Syria.
He added that this legacy limits Damascus’ ability to express full solidarity when Hezbollah launches an operation against Israel and Israel subsequently responds.
He considered that the continuation of these complications remains an obstacle to relations and pushes both sides to ward greater security coordination to limit Hezbollah’s activities and influence, according to his assessment.
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