Lebanese Premier Nawaf Salam said he made "significant progress" on shared issues as he met Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa in Damascus on Saturday and discussed bilateral, regional and international developments.
Salam arrived in Damascus on a day-long visit, his second since taking office last year, following his first visit on April 14, 2025.
The SANA news agency said Sharaa received Salam at the People's Palace in Damascus in the presence of ministerial delegations from both countries.
Both sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties, besides developing economic and trade cooperation in a manner that serves common interests and enhancing security coordination to support stability and confront challenges.
Salam's office said he led a delegation to Syria, including Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Energy and Water Minister Joseph Saddi, Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bisat, Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny and adviser Ambassador Claude Hajjal.
In a press conference at Damascus airport, prior to his departure from Syria, Salam said they made significant progress in addressing shared issues, particularly in the fields of economy, energy, transport and security and that tangible results will appear soon.
He said they also discussed challenges faced by both Lebanon and Syria, and will continue consultations at the political level, and strengthen cooperation. For this purpose, he said, the two countries will establish joint committees and intensify communication at the ministerial level.
"We discussed the significant challenges facing Lebanon and Syria in light of the rapidly evolving regional developments on multiple fronts," the prime minister added.
Prisoner transfer agreement revisited
The meeting addressed "following up on the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries regarding the transfer of convicted prisoners to Syria and determining the fate of missing persons in both countries," Salam said.
In February, Lebanon and Syria signed an agreement to transfer approximately 300 Syrian convicts to their country, a matter dating back to the years of the Syrian revolution.
Syria announced receiving the first batch of prisoners from Lebanese prisons a month later in March. Official estimates indicate that the number of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons is around 2,500, about one-third of the total number of prisoners in Lebanon.
Refugee returns
Regarding Syrian refugees, Salam said the discussions focused "on the necessity of continuing dialogue and cooperation to facilitate the safe return of refugees to their homes and to regulate Syrian labour in Lebanon."
Lebanese estimates suggest the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon equals approximately 1.5 million, including about 880,000 registered with the UNHCR. Beirut launched a voluntary repatriation programme for Syrian refugees in June 2025.
Last January, Sharaa said a majority of Syrian citizens living abroad could return within the next two years.
The Lebanese premier made his first official visit to Syria in April 2025, months after the war-torn country formed a transitional government, following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
