Masnaa road transport: Reciprocity mechanism extended

BEKAA — Following a meeting Monday at the Jdeidet Yabous border post, Lebanese and Syrian officials agreed to extend the reciprocity mechanism regulating goods and road transport between the two countries.

Truck traffic between Syria and Lebanon had been interrupted for nearly a week at the beginning of February, after a decision by the Syrian General Authority for Border Posts and Customs prohibiting "non-Syrian trucks" from entering Syrian territory by land.

After protests by truck drivers and negotiations between the two sides, traffic resumed on Feb. 13, under certain conditions, after both parties agreed to unload and reload goods in a shared area at the border — a temporary reciprocity mechanism established to regulate passage.

At that time, it was agreed that this arrangement would be reevaluated before any extension.

Monday's meeting was therefore evaluative in nature and aimed to obtain the Syrian response to a Lebanese proposal sent Saturday concerning the extension of this reciprocity.

The Syrian side agreed to a "prolongation of the current mechanism in effect until the implementation of a comprehensive solution."

According to our correspondent in the Bekaa, Monday's meeting brought together officials from the Transport Ministry, the Refrigerated Truck Union, Transport Unions, General Security, and customs for Lebanon, as well as the director of the Jdeidet Yabous border post, Ahmad al-Khatib, and the customs secretary, Ahmad al-Amouri, for the Syrian side.

Reporting by our regional correspondent, Sarah Abdallah.