Syrian-Lebanese economic cooperation away from cabinet’s approval

Following the agriculture minister, Ghazi Zouaiter’s visit to Damascus and his talks with the Syrian premier, and the resulting activation of the work of joint agricultural technical committees (http://bit.ly/2vqYU96), the Lebanese minister of economy Raed Khoury conversed yesterday with his Syrian counterpart Mohamad Samer Khalil on ways of resolving shared socio-economic problems that exacerbated with the crisis in neighboring Syria. Both sides reportedly agreed to reactivate meetings of the Lebanese-Syrian Economic Follow-Up Committee disrupted since 2010. A meeting to this end was set for next September in Beirut to discuss a number of topics. These include: a rigorous deliberation of the challenges hampering the exchange of products between both states, particularly Lebanese exports to Syria; taking effective measures to end smuggling and illegal activities on borders; present common transit procedures that ensure safety of made-in-Lebanon goods passing through Syria to various Arab destinations, namely, Iraq, Jordan or GCC states. According to L’Orient Le Jour, the consultations between Lebanon and Syria come two weeks or less after the disputed visit to Syria of 3 ministers in the Lebanese Cabinet to attend Damascus International Fair 2017. Khoury clarified to the newspaper that cooperation between the two states does not require the Cabinet’s approval, as agreements already exist to the effect of finding a solution to the impasse of Lebanese exports. The minister of state for the displaced, Mouein Merhbi, on the other hand, told L’Orient Le Jour that he personally is with discontinuing all agreements with the neighboring country. )L’Orient Le Jour, August 30, 2017(
 
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