The Lebanese-Syrian relations have been witnessing mounting tension since the establishment of the State of Greater Lebanon in 1920. And with the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon in April 2005, tension mounted again between both countries and relations were nearly impaired. This situation required that priority be accorded to the topic on the table of the Lebanese National Dialogue in the spring of 2006. At that time, the participants had agreed upon the necessity to develop the bilateral relations, mainly through the establishment of diplomatic ties and the delimitation of frontiers.

Nevertheless, these recommendations were not translated into action. Today, following the Doha Accord recently reached, this issue represents one the most crucial Lebanese political priorities.

In a bid to tackle the origin of the crisis and reach a settlement, the Issam Fares Center for Lebanon held on June 12 at its headquarters in Sin el-Fil a round table on the Lebanese-Syrian relations. The event was attended by a large crowd of former Deputies, Ministers, and Ambassadors, and a large number of political figures, intellectuals, and religious dignitaries.

The round table was inaugurated by the Center Director H.E. former Ambassador Mr. Abdallah Bou Habib who raised two fundamental questions around which discussions revolved:

'Is there a serious possibility to forge cordial, fraternal relations between the two neighboring countries?'

'If possible, what would be the road map? And what role should the Lebanese assume to reach this end?'


In a first intervention, Dr. Hoda Rizk, a prominent Lebanese researcher& Professor of Social Science at the Lebanese University, made a historical approach in which she tacked the Lebanese-Syrian relations since 1920. She considered that, in addition to security, the economic issue is one of the most important issues for the Syrians. She raised the Syrian occupation which she said took place with the US blessing and approval in Lebanon since 1975 till 1990 and aimed at changing the balance powers among the Lebanese parties and putting hand on the Palestinian rifle.

She outlined that this political intervention realized the wishes of then-Syria's President Hafez Assad who had viewed the Lebanese war and the ongoing conflict as a political danger to Syria that also posed threat on the security level. As for the American approval- she said- it came following the US wish to curb the ongoing conflict, control the PLO, and help Israel evade its danger.

After evaluating the Syrian-Lebanese relations under the Taef, Dr. Risk raised 'the deep crisis that affected the bilateral relations since 2005 till 2008', and evoked as well the relationship between the Lebanese and Syrian authorities, reaching the radical changes in the Syrian policy and its negative repercussions on the relationship with then-former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. She concluded that, 33 years after the conflict in Lebanon, Syria was still clinging to the Palestinian and Lebanon cards in order to strengthen its position in the peace talks.

In this context, she emphasized that Lebanon experiences today tense relations with Syria and is calling for the establishment of diplomatic ties with Syria and the delimitation of its frontiers. She considered that the status today requires the presence of a non-aligned prime minister or a new Riyadh Solh!


The remarkable round table also witnessed the intervention of key Speaker Dr. Paul Salem, the Director of the Carnegie Middle East Center. Dr. Salem evoked Syria's international relations and their repercussions on Lebanon. His interlocution touched upon Syrian President Bashar Assad's mandate who was still working on holding the Syrian decision under his grip. He pointed out that 'it was difficult to read the situation in Syria from the interior, especially that the Syrian regime has witnessed a series of internal changes, especially that President is a young man who inherited an old policy and needs today a modern policy'.

Dr. Salem also broached the issue of the political currents existing inside the Syrian regime, which are divided between two currents, one that is close to the Saudi-French-American stance, and another close to the Iranian stance, in addition to another current that examines the situation in a totally different way. He considered that the Syrian-Iranian relations were strong and would not experience any changes.

Dr. Salem concluded, saying 'Syria is at many crossroads; It faces a series of facts and changes that influence its relations with Lebanon, and Lebanon is concretely affected by these changes'.


For his part, Dr. Raghid el-Solh, a senior councilor at the Issam Fares Center for Lebanon, raised formulas that influenced the Lebanese point of view regarding the relationship with Syria: The first formula is a Lebanese coalition with a group of super powers for the control of the Syrian-Lebanese relations; the second was the formula of distinguished relations between both countries; the third was a formula of bilateral understanding and cooperation in the frame of an Arab regional pluralistic system. He expressed belief that the last formula was the best to forge better bilateral relations since it allows relations of fraternal equity and solidarity and real cooperation among both countries.

Later, a discussion took place among the Speakers; it focused on the necessity to establish a regime in Lebanon that represents all the Lebanese so that state-to-state relations can be established with Syria instead of letting different political trends control this relationship.

Some Speakers concentrated on the necessity to reconsider the agreements concluded between Lebanon& Syria, based on the principle that Syria is stronger and it had imposed these agreements to serve its interests. While participants voiced hope to start settling the pending disputes between both countries, others stressed the crucial existence of national leaderships that could talk about cordial relations with Syria. Others pointed to the fact that numerous attempts were made to elucidate this relationship, and different bodies and organs were constituted to examine this relationship.