Abolishing the visit of the Syrian delegation to Lebanon or postponing it?

The visit of the Syrian -security delegation to Beirut, which was scheduled today to discuss the file of the Syrian prisoners in Lebanese prisons, and set a mechanism that allows them to be returned or at least, the largest part of them to Syria. However, those who were informed confirmed that “the visit was postponed and was not completely canceled.”

Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mitri said: No date has been set with the Syrian delegation from the ground, and therefore he was not canceled or postponed.
While the information about the backgrounds of delay or cancellation was conflicting, however, the constant, according to what “news” quoted concerned sources, is the presence of Syrian dissatisfaction with the weakness of the Lebanese authorities ’response to the demands of Damascus in this file, which the Syrian leadership attaches to the utmost importance. Some circles went to the point of accusing Lebanese political and judicial bodies of obstructing cooperation with the Syrian requests.
It was learned that the Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mitri was charged with following up the details of the visit with the Syrian side, while the Minister of Justice, Adel Nassar, did not specify any official date for a meeting with the delegation, and he was satisfied with assigning a judicial team to coordinate.
Ministerial sources confirmed that “Lebanon still rejects the settlement of the conditions of all prisoners, especially those involved in the kidnappings and killing of army soldiers and members of the security forces,” noting that this position is supported by an American, while the Syrians consider it a prerequisite for the re -normalization of relations with Lebanon, a requirement that has Saudi support as well. According to follow -up sources, Syrian officials are exposed to pressure Among the prisoners themselves who are constantly communicating with them, and blame them by saying that they have fought battles and pushed exorbitant prices, and it is not logical to remain in prisons after the victories their team achieved in Syria. It is noteworthy that Damascus has established a list of about 350 names demanding their recovery, including Ahmed Al -Asir.
In addition, dozens of the families of the Islamic detainees, including Syrians, carried out a sit -in in front of the Roman Central Prison, through which they renewed their demand to improve the conditions of prisoners and expedite the approval of the general amnesty law.
The “Lebanese Public Pardon” initiative also praised the news circulating about the intention of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to initiate the preparation of an exceptional law to address the prison crisis, in coordination with the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, and the Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.
And Al -Diyar wrote: In a way that is stated with the negative, overwhelming atmosphere on the stage, it was reported yesterday, Wednesday, the postponement of the Syrian security delegation to visit Beirut, which was scheduled today, Thursday, to discuss the outstanding files between the two countries, led by the file of the Syrian prisoners, and the preparation for a visit by the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al -Shaibani to Lebanon.
Informed sources said that “what led to the postponement of the long -awaited visit is that he was not giving dates by the relevant ministers and appointed representatives of them by interviewing him, especially the Minister of Justice, so that the Syrian party attaches an exceptional importance to the file of the Syrian prisoners, and he wanted to bother with the Lebanese minister so that the Syrian minister will come later to sign an agreement to be reached.” The sources added: “It seems that the rift is very large between Lebanon and Syria in the approach of this file, in light of Damascus’s insistence on receiving all the convicts, whatever the issues that they were tried, and the Lebanese party categorically refused to surrender the accused of terrorism and kill elements in the Lebanese army.”
And Al -Sharq Al -Awsat wrote: The Lebanese authorities were surprised by the decision of the Syrian security judicial delegation to cancel his visit to Beirut, which was scheduled for Thursday to discuss the file of the Syrian prisoners who are in Lebanese prisons, and to put a mechanism that allows them to restore them or the largest part of them to their country.
A source familiar with the Lebanese Ministry of Justice announced that the ministry “officially informed on Wednesday afternoon to cancel the visit that was scheduled for Thursday without mentioning the reasons.” While a source in the Lebanese Foreign Ministry revealed that “the visit was not completely canceled, and it is likely to be postponed until next week.”
He explained that «the visit of the Syrian delegation will allow the schedule of an extensive meetings program from officials in the Lebanese state, and it has paved the way for political meetings between the officials of the two countries to discuss all the outstanding files, the most important of which are the files of the prisoners, the control of the borders, the return of the displaced Syrians, and the revelation of the fate of the Lebanese missing people in Syria.
The information about the reasons for the cancellation or postponement of the visit was conflicting, but it is proven that it is the result of the dissatisfaction of the Syrian side regarding what it called the Lebanese “cold” in resolving the crisis of the prisoners, which the Syrians attach to maximum interests, especially since the delegation requested dates with Lebanese ministers influential in the file of the prisoners, but they did not obtain dates.
The informed source in the Ministry of Justice explained that Minister Adel Nassar “did not specify an appointment to receive the Syrian delegation, but assigned two judges concerned with the prisons file to meet with them, see the Syrian demands, and provide the Lebanese state’s vision regarding them.”
The source suggested that the direct cause of the cancellation of the visit “Lebanon has absolutely refused to sign an agreement with the Syrian side noting the extradition of the Syrian convicts or detainees who have been involved in the kidnapping and killing of the Lebanese army soldiers and Lebanese security personnel, whether during or after the battles of Arsal, not even those who were sentenced or tried for criminal crimes on Lebanese territory, including fighting against the Lebanese army.”
The Syrian side looks forward to concluding a new treaty with Lebanon, which sponsors the issue of handing over the convicts and detainees, provided that they spend the rest of their sentence in their country or complete the trial of those who have not issued rulings against them, and a Lebanese judicial source said that “any new agreement between the two countries will be subject to legal criteria that take into account the principle of national sovereignty.”
He explained to Asharq Al -Awsat that “if a new agreement is signed with Syria, this does not mean that it allows the release of all Syrian prisoners.”
He said: «It may benefit from this agreement and the delivery process of the people who have been sentenced to criminals, whether in criminal or misdemeanor crimes, even those who were accused of their crimes.