DAMASCUS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A French-initiated virtual summit, bringing together leaders of France, Syria, Lebanon, Greece, and Cyprus on Friday, addressed regional security, economic cooperation, and Syria's recovery, Syria's leadership said in a statement.
Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, French President Emmanuel Macron, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, attended the meeting.
The summit focused on shared border threats, economic sanctions, Israeli military actions, and stabilizing Syria and its neighbors, the statement said.
Discussions opened with a focus on border security, with leaders expressing concerns over armed militias and unresolved disputes in the eastern Mediterranean, the statement said. They stressed the need for enhanced regional security coordination.
Al-Shaara reiterated Syria's security threats, particularly from Israel's military presence, and called for international support for Syria's sovereignty.
The Lebanese president echoed these concerns, highlighting the regional implications and the need for joint stability efforts.
Summit participants supported Syria's reform efforts, with al-Shaara outlining steps taken toward political, economic, and social reforms, the statement said, adding that a central demand was to lift economic sanctions on Syria, which al-Shaara described as a "key obstacle" to recovery.
Macron and Mitsotakis acknowledged the sanctions' impact and expressed willingness to explore easing restrictions in line with Syria's reform progress, the statement said.
Aoun also stressed the importance of lifting sanctions for regional and Lebanese stability and refugee returns, according to the Syrian statement. ■
