“The summit opened with extensive talks on border security among participating nations,” the statement read, noting that the leaders of the five countries emphasized “shared threats such as terrorism” and border disputes.
Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa pointed to Israel’s military presence in the south of his country, stating that it “remains a persistent threat to regional peace.”
After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, Israel scrambled to destroy Syria’s military stockpiles. It also sent troops across the border into a buffer zone east of the annexed Golan Heights in the south, defending its decision as a precaution against political uncertainty in Syria.
The summit condemned Israel’s military presence in southern Syria, according to the Syrian statement, with Sharaa “asserting Syria’s right to self-defense” and calling Arab and international support “a necessity, not an option.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also discussed the Israeli threat, according to a statement from his office. On Friday, Israel carried out strikes on Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire ended its war with Hezbollah in November.
The Syrian statement said Aoun also mentioned increasing security coordination between their nations. Lebanon and Syria on Friday signed a border demarcation and security coordination agreement brokered by Saudi Arabia. The agreement came after border clashes earlier in March left several people dead and dozens injured on both sides.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said Aoun stressed the "necessity of coordination between the two countries [Lebanon and Syria] to address outstanding issues, especially the issue of the joint border." He also called for assistance from Paris to address the return of Syrian refugees in Lebanon to “their homeland so that they can live in dignity.”
The leaders agreed that regional counterterrorism cooperation is critical, emphasizing enhanced intelligence coordination among participating states to combat terrorist groups and the need for military and logistical support to assist nations affected by terrorism, alongside efforts to rehabilitate war-torn areas and stabilize Syria and its borders, according to the Syrian statement.
They also “unanimously” backed Syria’s commitment to political and economic reforms and stressed the needs for “tangible progress” on its human rights record, with Sharaa saying that Damascus has taken “concrete steps” towards building a “stable and strong state despite challenges,” the Syrian statement said.
Damascus faced widespread condemnation in early March after a violent crackdown on Assad loyalists in Syria’s coastal Alawite-majority areas, where at least 1,500 people were killed - mostly civilians - according to the war monitor Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.
It has also been criticized for the interim constitution approved by Sharaa in mid-March that centers on Islamic jurisprudence, puts great power in the exclusive hands of the president, and marginalizes minorities.
French President Emmanuel Macron in a post on X about the meeting said, “Inclusivity in government formation was at the heart of our discussion, as was continuing the fight against terrorism.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told Rudaw’s Alla Shally on Thursday that “Germany and Europe are not prepared to provide funding for Islamists,” noting they can help Damascus in lifting sanctions to facilitate reconstruction but their prerequisite is an inclusive political process “in which all parties and all actors participate.”
The European Union pledged nearly €2.5 billion (around $2.7 billion) in aid for Syria last week, when global powers and regional countries gathered in Brussels to raise donations and address the country’s humanitarian crisis following years of war.
In the summit on Friday, the interim Syrian president noted the “devastating impact” of the sanctions on Syria’s economy.
Macron acknowledged “the urgency of lifting sanctions to facilitate political progress” and signalled openness to easing restrictions to support regional stability, according to the statement from the Syrian presidency.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he expressed to Sharaa his “horror” at the crackdown on Syria’s west coast, according to a statement from his office. He also called for an inclusive government and said Greece was paying close attention to the situation of Syria’s Christian population.
The summit concluded with an agreement “to establish a lasting partnership in post-war Syria,” rallying international support for reconstruction and stability, according to the Syrian statement.
“Leaders expressed satisfaction with the outcomes, pledging follow-up meetings to advance shared goals,” the statement added.
