Lebanon's president discusses French initiative to demarcate border with Syria

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed a French initiative aimed at helping demarcate the land border between Lebanon and Syria during a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the French Presidency, Vincent Giroud.

A presidency statement said Tuesday’s talks in Beirut covered Lebanese-Syrian relations and the French initiative to assist in delineating the border based on maps and documents held by France dating back to the mandate period.

During that era, France divided areas of the two countries according to its colonial policies, drawing what it then called the “State of Greater Lebanon (1920)” and Syria. That process led to overlapping borders and disputes that joint committees from both sides have failed to resolve.

In mid-2025, Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry announced that Beirut had received from Paris copies of archival documents and maps related to its border with Syria, a step that could help advance land border demarcation between the two countries.

In a separate context, the statement said the Lebanese president briefed his French guest on “Israeli hostile practices such as blowing up and bulldozing homes and attacks on civilians,” noting that “the option of negotiations he has adopted aims to end the suffering of residents of the south in particular and the Lebanese in general.”

The discussions also addressed “the phase following the withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from the country’s south at the beginning of next year,” with Aoun expressing Lebanon’s welcome of France’s willingness, along with other European countries, to maintain forces in the south to assist the Lebanese army in preserving security and stability.

Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 2,702 people and wounded 8,311, and displaced more than 1.6 million — about one-fifth of the population — according to the latest official figures.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023-2024 war, and has advanced about 10 kilometers inside the southern border during the current conflict.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul