Syrian President Ahmed Shaar denies Lebanon intervention rumors, pledges economic cooperation

Syrian President Ahmed Shaar met with rural opinion leaders and reiterated that reports of Syrian intervention in Lebanon’s internal affairs are untrue. "Hala Suriye'nin Lübnan'a müdahale edeceğine dair çeşitli söylentiler ortaya atılıyor. Ancak bunlar doğru değildir," he said. Shaar stressed Syria’s policy of ending war, strengthening state institutions and enhancing economic integration with Lebanon. He highlighted the long‑standing, complex border delimitation issues – including the Shebaa Farms dispute – and said talks on border demarcation are postponed pending higher‑priority matters. The president said the current priority is economic cooperation and projects that support Lebanese stability. He also noted that about 1.4 million Syrian refugees reside in Lebanon, representing a significant humanitarian and economic burden for both countries.