The new Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa promised that his country would no longer exert a "negative influence" in Lebanon and would respect the sovereignty of the neighboring country, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA, referring to his statement while receiving a delegation led by Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt.
Syria will no longer "interfere negatively in Lebanon and will respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independent decision-making and stability of Lebanon," assured al-Sharaa, who took power two weeks ago after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
Damascus "will keep an equal distance from everyone" in Lebanon, he added, saying that Syria is "a source of fear and anxiety" in Lebanon.
Druze leader Jumblatt arrived in Damascus today at the head of a large delegation of lawmakers from his parliamentary bloc and Druze religious dignitaries. He became the first Lebanese politician to meet with Syria's new leader.
He spoke at the presidential palace with Ahmad al-Sharaa, who until now was known by his pseudonym Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani.
Jumblatt accuses Syrian authorities of killing his father, Kamal Jumblatt, in 1977 during the Lebanese civil war. The assassinations of many other anti-Syrian Lebanese leaders have also been attributed to the previous Syrian government.
At the end of the meeting, Ash Shaaraa called on the Lebanese to "erase from their memory the memory of the former Syria in Lebanon," AFP noted.
Ash Shaaraa said that no religion would be excluded in Syria in what he described as a "new era" in which politics would not be based on religion, Reuters reported.
Ash Shaaraa is the leader of the Islamist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main group that forced Assad to flee the country on December 8. Some Syrians and foreign powers fear that he could impose strict Islamic rule on a country with numerous minority groups such as Druze, Kurds, Christians and Alawites.
"We are proud of our culture, our religion and our Islam. Being part of the Islamic environment does not mean excluding other religions. On the contrary, it is our duty to protect them," he said during the meeting with Jumblatt in comments broadcast by the Lebanese Al Jadeed television.
For his part, the Druze leader said during the meeting that the overthrow of Assad should mark the beginning of new constructive relations between Lebanon and Syria.
The Druze are an Arab minority that professes a branch of Islam.