Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to visit Ankara on Thursday for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a one-day trip aimed at clarifying an established but increasingly ambiguous relationship between the two countries.
Aoun will travel with a small delegation of presidential advisers, without any ministers, and no bilateral treaties are expected to be signed during the visit.
Lebanese and Turkish sources told Middle East Eye that the talks would instead focus on the broader political relationship between Beirut and Ankara, including Turkey’s concerns over Lebanon’s regional positioning and the possibilities for expanded military and diplomatic cooperation.
“This trip is the start of something,” a senior Lebanese source told MEE.
“Lebanon is in a delicate political position. It needs to maintain good relations with everyone and avoid upsetting anyone.”
