Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa warned of the repercussions of any security or political explosion in Lebanon, considering that this would reflect negatively on Syria, stressing that the Lebanese state’s monopoly on weapons and the decision to make peace and war constitute a necessity for the stability of the region.
Al-Sharaa said, in an interview with Al Jazeera, that keeping weapons outside the authority of the Lebanese state “will leave major negative consequences for the region,” stressing Damascus’ support for the Lebanese state’s monopoly on law enforcement and weapons.
Al-Sharaa accused Hezbollah of participating alongside the former Syrian regime in the war inside Syria over a period of 14 years, considering that it caused the displacement and killing of large numbers of Syrians. He added that the party “still carries weapons and is spreading on the Syrian-Lebanese border.”
He stressed that Damascus is working with the Lebanese government to find realistic and practical solutions that will help it fulfill its obligations, noting that the two countries are discussing mechanisms that may contribute to bringing Lebanon to safety and benefiting from “the current state of Syrian renaissance.”
Regarding Syria, Al-Sharaa said that his country began a “new history” that was welcomed by the United States and European countries, stressing the existence of common economic and trade interests with the West, in addition to continuing work to reorganize relations with Russia, while the debate still exists regarding the future of Russian bases in Syria.
He added that lifting economic sanctions will not achieve its full effect unless Syria is removed from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, noting that the government is working to develop infrastructure, especially in the eastern region, while investigations are still underway to find out the causes of the accident that occurred on the Damascus-Deir ez-Zor road, with it likely being accidental.
Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s statements come at a time when Syrian-Lebanese relations are witnessing a new phase of coordination after the political change in Damascus, amid outstanding issues that include border security, the return of displaced persons, and economic cooperation. It also coincides with the escalation of international and regional pressures related to restricting weapons to the Lebanese state, in parallel with Syrian efforts to enhance its openness to the West and rebuild its regional and international relations, in conjunction with efforts to lift sanctions and attract investments for reconstruction.
