Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun has arrived at the Syrian border, where he is set to head to Damascus to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad, marking his first visit to Syria in 14 years.
Lebanese media reported that Aoun left Lebanon on Tuesday morning en route to Syria, accompanied by former Minister Pierre Raffoul. Upon arrival at the border, he was greeted by former Syrian ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali.
It is noteworthy that Aoun is known for his statement, "We want to establish the best relations with Syria, provided that Syria remains in Syria and Lebanon in Lebanon," as his issue was with the Syrian presence in Lebanon. This led to what he refers to as the "Liberation War" in 1989, during which a direct military confrontation occurred between Aoun, then the army commander, and the Syrian army in Lebanon, resulting in Aoun's exile to France for 15 years.
In 2005, following the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and subsequent developments that led to the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, Aoun returned to the country advocating for better relations with Syria.
Communication between Aoun and the Syrian leadership continued, culminating in his visit to Damascus in 2009 ahead of parliamentary elections. However, after being elected president in 2016, Aoun did not make any visits to Syria.
Aoun's presidential term ended in October 2022, and since that day, the Lebanese Parliament has been unable to elect a new president for the country.
