The Lebanese Council of Ministers, chaired by President Joseph Aoun and attended by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, discussed a number of prominent political and administrative files, foremost of which is the trend towards reformulating institutional and economic relations with Syria.
Syrian-Lebanese Business Council soon
Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos announced after the session that the Prime Minister confirmed that "the Lebanese-Syrian Business Council will see the light of day very soon," explaining that Lebanon looks forward to building common and direct economic and trade interests between the business sectors of the two brotherly countries.
In a related context, Morcos revealed that the prime minister has asked the cabinet to terminate the functions of the "Lebanese-Syrian Supreme Council" through a draft law that has been officially referred to the House of Representatives.
He pointed out that the best and most appropriate alternative for the next stage is the establishment of a "joint high committee between the two countries", similar to the existing committees between Lebanon and a number of Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, in order to ensure the establishment of direct relations from one country to another.
Morcos pointed out that there has been tangible progress in several fields since the last visit to Syria, especially in the file of electrical interconnection, where the Minister of Energy and Water communicates daily with the Syrian side and records rapid progress in this field.
The Lebanese Minister of Information indicated that the Minister of Public Works and Transport is in constant contact with Syrian officials to coordinate matters of transportation, truck passage, crossings and others, indicating that the first session of the Lebanese-Syrian Joint Business Council is expected to be held soon at the end of next June, where the Minister of Economy and Trade is following up on the preparations for this council.
Salam and Shaibani phone call
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Al-Shaibani, received a phone call yesterday from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon, Nawaf Salam.
During the call, they stressed the depth of bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, and discussed ways to enhance joint cooperation in various fields, including the economic, commercial and energy sectors.
According to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Minister Al-Shaibani affirmed Syria's keenness and full readiness to continue supporting everything that contributes to strengthening bilateral cooperation, in order to achieve the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples.
They also stressed the continuation of efforts to establish the Joint Coordination Committee, which represents a practical impetus to the outcomes of Prime Minister Salam's recent visit to Syria.