Lebanon’s Mikati and Syria’s Sala discussed bilateral issues, including smuggling and border challenges between the two countries.

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Naguib Mikati said Beirut and Damascus would work together to secure their land borders and delineate land and sea borders.

Mikati held a joint news conference with Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed Salat in the capital Damascus on Saturday, the first visit by a Lebanese prime minister to neighboring Syria in 15 years.

Sala said they discussed smuggling between the two countries, border challenges and Syrian deposits in Lebanese banks.

He said he hoped to establish a “long-term strategic relationship” with neighboring Lebanon after it elected a much-needed president.

“We have huge common interests with Lebanon,” Salad added.

Both sides agreed to establish a committee to address these issues and provide support.

Al Jazeera’s Hamza Mohammed, reporting from Damascus, said the two leaders agreed to work together to prevent smuggling between the two countries.

“Smugglers used to move weapons and drugs from Syria to Lebanon,” he said.

“This is very important to the Lebanese leader and he mentioned this,” our reporter added.

Lebanon’s eastern border is porous and known for smuggling.

During the Syrian civil war, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah supported Assad with fighters.

However, the Iran-aligned movement has been weakened after a war with Israel that killed the group’s longtime leader and compromised the group’s firepower has helped Syrian rebels. occupied Damascus last month.

refugee

Al Jazeera’s Mohammad also said Salad emphasized that Lebanon is working to find a solution to Lebanon’s Syrian refugee problem, which is a huge burden on the country’s struggling economy.

Lebanon is estimated to host about 1.5 million Syrian refugees who fled the country’s civil war that broke out in 2011.

The roughly 13-year conflict has killed more than half a million people, devastated the economy and forced millions to flee their homes through internal and external displacement.

Lebanese newly elected president Joseph Aoun Thursday said it was a historic opportunity for “serious and fair dialogue” with Syria.

Syria has had significant influence over Lebanon for most of the Assad family’s 50 years in power, maintaining a military presence for 29 years amid widespread opposition from many Lebanese.

After the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, Syria finally withdrew its troops under international pressure.