The 33rd Arab Summit, which will take place in Manama, Bahrain, next Thursday, is set to be a significant moment for discussing the issue of Syrian refugees. There are confirmed reports of a meeting on the sidelines of the summit between President Najib Mikati, representing Lebanon, and the Syrian delegation accompanying President Bashar al-Assad. It has been reported that contacts were initiated to arrange the meeting and discuss topics of interest, which Mikati began with a call to the Syrian Prime Minister days ago. However, indications suggest that a meeting between President Assad and Mikati during the summit is unlikely unless there is encouragement from the Gulf countries.
President Mikati is reportedly approaching the meeting with Syrian officials feeling at ease and supported by the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, and most Lebanese political forces, excluding the Lebanese Forces party. This effort is currently progressing alongside a broadly positive Arab atmosphere towards Syria, particularly from Gulf countries, which have encouraged Mikati to open a new chapter in relations with Damascus and engage in dialogue.
Additionally, it has been confirmed that positive sentiments toward Syria have reached Qatar, with Qatari officials instructing those in charge of Qatari media to soften criticisms of Syria and its leadership. This comes despite dissatisfaction among Qatari officials regarding certain articles in Lebanese outlets that praised the Saudi position on regional events.
For the first time since 2011, tentative positive shifts between Syria and foreign countries have also begun to touch on American-Syrian relations through meetings between delegations from both countries. Lebanese officials are aware that the American delegation, which visited Beirut a month ago and met with change-seeking MPs at the US embassy, subsequently went to Damascus under Lebanese security escort. Despite these limited meetings, no significant breakthroughs have been achieved.
Notably, Saudi Arabia is making substantial efforts to improve relations between Damascus and Washington, successfully convincing Biden to withdraw a bill against normalization with Syria and freeze its signing from the urgent legislative package submitted for approval.
The question remains, according to "Al-Diyar," whether the new and positive international atmosphere towards Damascus will facilitate the return of refugees to their homeland. Currently, this seems unlikely. A major indication of this is Cyprus's recent repatriation of 20 refugees who entered its territory last week, returning them to the Lebanese army, which then sent them back to their home country. This action has drawn the ire of the American ambassador in Beirut and European ambassadors who have expressed their firm refusal of this procedure and demanded that it not be repeated.
