Salam-Sharaa meeting at the Doha Forum

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met on Saturday with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the Doha diplomatic forum in Qatar. “The meeting focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and develop Lebanese-Syrian relations,” stated the Grand Serail’s X account, which posted a photo of the meeting.

The two leaders had previously met in April, when the Lebanese prime minister visited Syria at the head of an official delegation, opening a new chapter in relations between Beirut and Damascus six months after the fall of the Assad regime, which had occupied Lebanon for more than two decades.

Key issues under discussion include the delineation and control of land and maritime borders, the fight against smuggling, the return of Syrian refugees, and particularly the situation of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons — all seen as crucial for future normalization.

Qatari Aid Projects

The Doha Forum, which brings together representatives from 162 countries, is described by its organizers as “a global platform for dialogue bringing together leaders and political officials to discuss the major challenges facing the world.”

Prime Minister Salam also met with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. “Our Qatari brothers have reaffirmed their unwavering political and economic support for Lebanon, with a new set of aid projects to be announced soon,” Salam wrote in a message on X. “For my part, I expressed my deep gratitude to Qatar for its role in supporting Lebanon … and reaffirmed my government’s commitment to continue reforms and extend state authority, with its own forces, across all territory—starting with the south of the Litani,” where the Lebanese army continues its mission to disarm militias, including Hezbollah, he added.

Gaza Discussions

Discussions at the summit largely focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip, where the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is expected to move into its second phase. The Qatari prime minister described negotiations over the future of the Palestinian enclave as being at “a critical moment.” “We cannot yet consider that there is a cease-fire. A cease-fire cannot be complete without the total withdrawal of Israeli forces and a return of stability to Gaza,” he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the need to deploy a stabilization force to Gaza, “with the main goal of separating Israelis and Palestinians along the border.”