Amid the significant political transformations in both Syria and Lebanon, security and the shared border issue stand out as one of the most important challenges facing the two countries. In a historic step towards enhancing regional security and stability, a strategic and security meeting was held in Jeddah on March 26. Lebanese Defence Minister Michel Mansi and his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra, participated in the meeting, which was sponsored by Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. It was the highest-level meeting between the two countries since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
The meeting aimed to turn the page on disputes and tensions on the Lebanese - Syrianborder and resolve outstanding security issues between the two countries. Theaim is that this would contribute to ensuring stability and defusing clashesand the possibility of military confrontations between the two sides.
The legitimisation of Hezbollah
The meeting also included the formation of legal and specialised committees and the activation of coordination mechanisms to address security and military challenges, particularly those related to the border. This issue is related to the Shebaa Farms and the Kfarshouba Heights.
Demarcating the border between the two countries in this area determines the identity of each, given that it is disputed territory and has been exploited by Hezbollah to legitimise its role.
Through this, it has legitimised its weapons and obliged the Lebanese Council of Ministers over the past years to grant it political cover through the"army, the people, and the resistance" equation in ministerial statements. Consequently, there is a current trend toward demarcating this area and resolving its identity, but it remains unclear how this will be done.
Sources on the Syrian side suggest that Damascus considers these areas to be part of the Golan Heights, therefore their demarcation will be within it, and their Syrian identity will be determined.This is the case now, especially since the United Nations, according to its maps, considers them Syrian territory.
Analysts expect this agreement to contribute to improving bilateral relations between the two countries and opening new channels of dialogue to address outstanding issues. Highlighting these problems, clashes have erupted between the Syrian army, armed groups linked to Hezbollah, and Lebanese tribes.
Since the Lebanese - Syrian border has recently witnessed an escalation in tensions,this agreement is also expected to have a positive impact on regional security,particularly with Saudi Arabia's support for these efforts.
The roots of these tensions go back to the Syrian army's attempts to clear the border of areas established by Hezbollah for drug trafficking and smuggling. This led to bloody clashes and resulted in deaths and injuries on both sides. Furthermore,these clashes almost led to the involvement of the Lebanese army, prompting the need for rapid action to contain the crisis and prevent its escalation.
Details of the agreement
The agreement between Lebanon and Syria, included five key provisions:
- Demarcation of the joint border: the two parties agreed on the strategic importance of demarcating the border between Lebanon and Syria, and the formation of specialised committees to precisely define the border points, ensuring each country's sovereignty over its territory and preventing illegal interference.
- Enhancing security cooperation: it was agreed to activate coordination mechanisms between the security and military agencies of the two countries so that securitychallenges could be addressed, particularly with regard to combating smuggling, drug and arms trafficking, and controlling illegal crossings.
- Combating terrorism and smuggling: the agreement emphasised the need for joint cooperation in confronting terrorist organisations and criminal gangs operating in border areas, and working to dismantle smuggling and drug trafficking networks that threaten the security and stability of both countries.
- Restoring state control over the borders: the two sides emphasised the importance of extending state control over allborder areas and eliminating any presence of illegal armed groups, ensuring the restoration of the state's prestige and sovereignty.
- Monitoring the implementation of the agreement: it was agreed to hold periodic meetings to monitor the implementation of the agreement's provisions, assess progress on joint issues,and address any developments that may arise in the security arena.
UN Resolution 1680
This agreement comes within the framework of efforts to implement UN Resolution 1680, adopted by the Security Council in 2006. This calls for the demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Syria and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
This resolution is a fundamental step toward strengthening Lebanon's sovereignty and political independence and ensuring the extension of state authority over all its territory. However, the implementation of this resolution has faced several challenges in the past, due to the former Syrian regime's failure to respond to its demands and the continued border interference exploited by some armed groups and smugglers.
This agreement is seen as part of a solution to outstanding regional issues.Demarcating the border between Lebanon and Syria contributes to enhancing stability in the Middle East and prevents the use of border areas as a launching pad for smuggling operations or a haven for armed groups. This agreement also strengthens Saudi Arabia's role as an effective mediator in resolving regional conflicts and affirms its commitment to supporting security and stability in Arab countries.
Photo Jeddah, the Abdul RaoufKhalif mosque (by Adobe)