Saudi Arabia hosts long-awaited meeting between Lebanese and Syrian defence ministers

Agreement signed to demarcate border, following clashes between government forces and Lebanese armed groups

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman with Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Michel Menassa, Lebanon's Minister of Defence, in Jeddah. SPA

The defence ministers of Lebanon and Syria have met in Jeddah to discuss border security, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

The meeting on Thursday came weeks after deadly clashes and tension along the Syrian-Lebanese border, prompting the defence ministries to sign a ceasefire in the area.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman hosted counterparts Michel Menassa from Lebanon and Syria's Murhaf Abu Qasra in the coastal city to discuss security and stability between Damascus and Beirut, SPA said.

An agreement was signed by both sides to demarcate the border and form “legal and specialised committees”, as well as “activating co-ordination mechanisms between the two sides to deal with security and military challenges, especially those that may arise on the border between them”, SPA reported.

It was agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in Saudi Arabia soon, Mr Menassa said. "An agreement was signed during which the two sides stressed the strategic importance of border demarcation," he added on Friday.

“The kingdom affirms its full support for everything that achieves the security and stability of the two brotherly countries and contributes to maintaining security and stability in the region,” SPA said.

Prince Khalid with Mr Abu Qasra and Mr Menassa after the talks in Saudi Arabia. SPA

Mr Menassa and Mr Abu Qasra were initially set to meet in Syria on Wednesday but Lebanese security sources told The National this was postponed as Damascus was set to announce new security appointments.

Tensions along the Syria-Lebanon border escalated this month, with two days of clashes between government forces and Lebanese armed groups, in which eight Syrian soldiers and a 15-year-old Lebanese boy were killed. The boy died in Syrian bombing of the frontier village of Qasr.

But despite the ceasefire, the “underlying issues remain unresolved, leaving the door open for renewed conflict at the Lebanon-Syria border”, a western diplomatic source told The National at the time.

The two countries have had a rocky relationship over the years and the recent escalation has marred efforts by their governments to improve relations since the fall of former president Bashar Al Assad.

Syrian forces under Hayat Tahrir Al Sham – which led the offensive that toppled the Assad regime in December – have clashed with Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah several times at the border.

Damascus says some smuggling rings Hezbollah used to receive weapons from Iran still operate in the area. Syrian authorities have vowed to crack down on Hezbollah-linked smugglers, in a bid to secure the border.