Damascus-SANA- In an unprecedented political move, France hosted a Zoom summit bringing together President Ahmad al-Shara’a, French President Emmanuel Macron, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The Syrian Presidency explained on its Telegram channel that the summit witnessed important discussions on a range of regional and international issues affecting security and stability in the Middle East. It addressed many sensitive topics affecting relations between the five countries, most notably:
Border Security and Common Threats
The summit began with extensive discussions on border security among the participating countries, focusing on the common threats threatening the region, particularly from armed militias and border conflicts affecting all parties. The importance of strengthening security cooperation between the countries involved to ensure the security of their shared borders was emphasized.
President al- Sharaa stressed that Syria faces major security challenges on its southern border, noting that the Israeli presence on Syrian territory represents a continuing threat to regional peace and security.
For his part, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun highlighted the importance of intensifying security coordination between Syria and Lebanon to confront common threats, while Greece and Cyprus underlined the need to support Syrian efforts to combat terrorism on the border.
Lifting Embargoes
The issue of lifting economic sanctions on Syria was a dominant topic of the summit. President al -Sharaa called for the lifting of embargos imposed by Western countries on Syria, noting the devastating impact of such sanctions on the Syrian economy and the well-being of the people.
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that lifting sanctions is an urgent need to achieve further political progress within Syria. He also voiced his willingness to discuss mechanisms to ease some economic restrictions within the framework of supporting stability in the region.
The Lebanese President, in turn, emphasized the importance of such move in order to enhance stability in Lebanon and the region as a whole and enable the return of refugees. Cyprus and Greece stated that lifting sanctions is a necessary step to support regional economic cooperation.
Common Interests and Strengthening Regional Cooperation
The discussions also included aspects related to the common interests of the participating countries. The leaders agreed to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, particularly in the areas of energy and transportation.
Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation among Mediterranean countries, particularly in combating illegal immigration. He indicated that Greece is ready to contribute to energy projects in Syria and the Middle East.
For its part, Cyprus stressed the need to activate joint cooperation in this field, enable accountability, transitional justice, and the law of the sea, support an ambitious program for Syria, and respect its sovereignty.
Supporting the Syrian Administration in Reforms
The participants unanimously supported the Syrian administration’s serious efforts to implement political and economic reforms.
President al-Sharaa noted that Syria has begun real steps toward reforms at the political, economic, and social levels and is working to build a stable and strong state despite the challenges it faces.
For their part, the countries participating in the summit supported the Syrian government’s efforts to implement reforms and stressed the need for practical steps in the areas of human rights and political progress.
The Lebanese President expressed his full support for Syria’s efforts in reconstruction and political reform, noting that Lebanon is also suffering from the effects of the war and believes that cooperation with Syria is the only way to overcome regional challenges.
Israeli Violations and a Common stance:
Israeli violations in southern Syria were also noted, with the leaders at the summit stressing the need to condemn the ongoing Israeli attacks on Syrian territory.
President al-Sharaa underlined that Syria’s position is steadfast in rejecting these Israeli attacks. He affirmed that Syria will continue to defend its inalienable rights, and that Arab and international support is no longer an option but a necessity.
Counter-Terrorism and Regional Cooperation
The leaders agreed that regional cooperation in the field of combating terrorism is of utmost importance, emphasizing the need to enhance intelligence coordination among participating countries to combat terrorist organizations.
They also underlined that military and logistical support must continue to assist countries affected by terrorism, while stressing the need to work to rehabilitate affected areas and achieve stability in Syria and on its borders.
Summit Conclusion
At the conclusion of the summit, an agreement was reached to establish a serious and stable relationship in the new Syria, mobilize international support, and leverage the outcomes of the Brussels Conference to support reconstruction efforts, as well as all that could contribute to restoring regional stability and supporting Syrian efforts to confront internal and external challenges.
