Syria 'ready' to help Lebanon with gas, electricity transitSyrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad (R C) and other cabinet members meet with an official Lebanese delegation in the capital Damascus to discuss plans to import gas through war-torn SyriaDAMASCUS - Syria has agreed to help crisis-hit Lebanon by letting gas and electricity transit through its territory, an official said Saturday during the first high-level visit from Beirut to Damascus since Syria's civil war erupted. Now Beirut hopes to strike a deal to import gas from Egypt and electricity from Jordan using Syrian infrastructure -- with Washington's blessing despite US sanctions against the Damascus regime. Syria is "ready" to help Lebanon with "transit for Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity via Syrian territory," senior official Nasri Khouri told reporters, after the delegation led by interim deputy prime minister Zeina Akar met Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad and Oil Minister Bassam Tomeh. - US-Iran rivalry -Lebanon has maintained diplomatic ties with Syria but it adopted a policy of dissociation from the conflict since it started in 2011, putting a dampener on official dealings. The visit comes after the Lebanese presidency last month said that Washington has agreed to help Lebanon secure electricity and natural gas from Jordan and Egypt through Syrian territory.

Source: Bangkok Post September 04, 2021 17:15 UTC