Assad receives Lebanese parliamentary delegation in Damascus

A Lebanese parliamentary delegation traveled to Damascus Sunday, where it was received by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and several senior Syrian officials

At the head of this delegation was Amal Movement MP Ali Hassan Khalil, head of the parliamentary Committee for Lebanese-Syrian Friendship and Brotherhood.

"The Lebanese Parliament is ready to have relations of a higher level" with the Syrian regime, Khalil said Sunday. Syria remains politically isolated in the international arena since 2011 and the bloody repression of anti-government demonstrations by the regime.

During its visit, the delegation was also received by Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous, his Foreign Minister Faisal Mokdad, and the President of the Syrian People's Assembly, Hammouda Sabbagh, according to information from the National News Agency (NNA).

The delegation included six deputies in addition to Khalil: Jihad Samad (Independent), Kassem Hashem (Independent, close to Amal), Tony Frangieh (Marada Movement), Ghazi Zeaiter (Amal Movement), Samer al-Tom (Free Patriotic Movement) and Hagop Pakradounian (Tachnag).

"In the Lebanese Parliament, we are ready to have a higher level of relations with Syria and to cooperate to the fullest extent possible," said Khalil after the meeting with the head of the Syrian legislature.

Khalil called for regular meetings between the deputies of the two countries "to serve the common interests" of both countries. The delegation also expressed condolences for the victims of the deadly earthquake of Feb. 6 and condemned the Sunday Israeli strike on Damascus.

"We want to express our solidarity with our sister, Syria, to the extent of the resources available in Lebanon and we believe in its ability to get out of this crisis," said Khalil .

He also acknowledged "the difficulties Syria is facing, whether it is terrorist attacks, a siege or the theft of its resources, especially oil and wheat."

During the meeting with the Lebanese delegation, President Assad praised the response of the Lebanese authorities and people after the earthquake and stressed the "fraternal relations" between the two countries.

"It is on this basis that official policies should be based in order to serve the shared interests of the two peoples," he said.

A Lebanese ministerial delegation visited Syria ten days ago, at the request of the outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati, to show solidarity with Damascus after the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.

Formed by the outgoing head of diplomacy Abdallah Bou Habib and the caretaker ministers of Public Works, Ali Hamiye; Social Affairs, Hector Hajjar; and Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, that delegation also met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

This visit was considered by opponents of the Assad regime and his allies as a pretext for a normalization of relations between Beirut and Damascus.