Justice Minister Adel Nassar said Wednesday that there is “mutual respect for sovereignty” between Lebanon and Syria, revealing that Damascus has pledged to provide information related to crimes committed by the former Syrian regime.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Syria’s Justice Minister, Mazhar Al-Wais, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday leading a judicial delegation for an official visit aimed at resolving outstanding legal issues between Lebanon and Damascus, including the status of Syrian nationals held in Lebanese prisons.
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Hezbollah, which emerged significantly weakened from a devastating war with Israel, now faces an existential crisis as it struggles to cope with sweeping changes across the Middle East -- changes that have also shaken its key ally, Iran, according to political analysts.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Hardly anyone alive today remembers the roaring ‘20s, the post-First World War cultural revival; the jazz age that rejected the values, ideas and institutions of a previous generation that had led Europe to self-destruction. Lebanon may today be going through something similar, with traumatized postwar youths reacting to what they see as a society and a state that has failed them in every possible way.
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says the club expects to learn the outcome of the hearing into its 115 charges of alleged Premier League financial rule breaches "in one month".
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Former Brazil and Real Madrid defender Marcelo has announced his retirement from football, bringing the curtain down on a trophy-laden career that included five UEFA Champions League triumphs.
Friday, February 7, 2025
Tuesday 21 October 2025 16:32:33
France and the United States have stepped up coordination on Lebanon’s disarmament plan and Syria’s political transition, Annahar newspaper reported, citing a French diplomatic source. The move follows a phone call between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and U.S. envoy to Lebanon and Syria Tom Barrack.
According to the source, discussions focused on international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to implement the government’s plan to collect weapons held by Hezbollah south of the Litani River. Both sides agreed on the need for the army to demonstrate “tangible, measurable progress” and to clearly outline its operational and logistical needs to partners.
Barrot reaffirmed French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to mobilize international backing for Lebanon’s army, saying preparations were underway for an international conference in Riyadh in November aimed at bolstering the LAF.
Macron had raised the issue two days earlier in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, urging him to host the conference. The Kingdom has yet to deliver a final response, though French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia soon for talks with Prince Yazid bin Farhan, who oversees the Lebanese file.
On economic matters, Barrot and Barrack agreed that Lebanon must honor its reform pledges, particularly by passing legislation to address depositors’ losses in the banking sector and by finalizing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund. French diplomat Jacques de La Gougie has been tasked with helping Lebanese officials reach a deal with the IMF, the source said. If an agreement is secured, France is prepared to host a Paris conference dedicated to Lebanon’s reconstruction and economic recovery.
The source added that Barrack’s recent remarks on social media reflected Washington’s frustration with the slow pace of Lebanon’s disarmament efforts. Tensions remain high, the source noted, due to continued Israeli drone activity over Lebanon and the presence of armed zones in the south where Hezbollah’s weapons have yet to be removed.
“Paris is fully aware of the Lebanese army’s challenges,” the source said, adding that Macron views the proposed Riyadh conference as an essential platform to secure Saudi assistance for the LAF as quickly as possible.
The French diplomat also confirmed that Barrot and Barrack exchanged “positive assessments” of the recent thaw between Lebanon and Syria’s transitional authorities, reflected in the Syrian foreign minister’s visit to Beirut on September 1. Both sides agreed that strengthening dialogue serves the sovereignty and stability of both countries.
On Syria, the two officials reaffirmed support for the ongoing political transition and efforts to revive the country’s social and economic sectors. They emphasized that closer coordination among regional and international stakeholders, alongside the Syrian authorities, is vital to reintegrate Syria into its regional environment and the global financial system.
Barrot and Barrack also discussed recent developments between Syria’s transitional leadership and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), welcoming signs of progress. They agreed that France and the United States will maintain close coordination and continue facilitating dialogue between the two sides.
Lasting stability in the region, they stressed, can only be achieved through a peaceful, negotiated settlement that unites Syria and fully integrates its northeastern regions and populations into the national political transition process.
