Syria voices concern over 'armed militias operating outside state's sovereignty in Lebanon'

• Asaad al-Shaibani says Damascus remains committed to the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel

Syria's foreign minister expressed concern Monday over "certain armed militias operating outside the state's sovereignty in Lebanon.”

“We view Lebanon as a partner and neighbor to Syria, and we hope to achieve stability there along with economic cooperation between the two countries," Asaad al-Shaibani said in statements carried by the Syrian Al-Ikhbariya TV.

Shaibani's statements came during a joint news conference with EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica on the sidelines of the EU–Syria Partnership Forum in Brussels, Belgium.

Syria is seeking to lay the foundations for long-term institutional cooperation, moving past a relationship centered solely on humanitarian assistance toward a broader partnership driven by shared interests, Shaibani added, as cited by the SANA news agency.

Damascus is engaging with the European countries “with the utmost seriousness," he stated.

Also on Monday, the EU restored the full application of its cooperation agreement with Syria, marking a further step in rebuilding ties after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The EU Council adopted a decision terminating the partial suspension of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and Syria, repealing a 2011 decision that had halted parts of the deal over the Assad regime’s human rights violations.

Israel’s destabilizing role

Shaibani also said Israel has been working over the past year and a half to “threaten and destabilize” Syria.

“From day one, we said we are committed to the 1974 disengagement agreement and to activating the role of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)," he said.

“Syria engaged in US-sponsored negotiations (with Israel) because it wants to focus on reconstruction, stability, and creating safe conditions for Syrians to return home,” he added.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said in previous statements that negotiations with Israel had not reached a dead end but remained difficult because of Israeli insistence on maintaining a presence in Syrian territory.

After the fall of Assad’s government on Dec. 8, 2024, Israel declared the 1974 disengagement agreement had collapsed and occupied the Syrian buffer zone.

Despite repeated statements by Syria’s new administration that it does not seek confrontation with Israel, Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes in Syria since Assad’s ouster, killing civilians and destroying military sites, vehicles, and ammunition.

In December 2024, Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia, bringing an end to the Baath Party’s decades of rule that began in 1963. A transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January 2025.