AMMAN/ BEIRUT — The spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport, Mohammad Dweiri, said on Tuesday that Syria’s decision to ban the entry of foreign trucks has not affected transit traffic, stressing that Jordanian trucks continue to operate under the “back-to-back” system.

 

Speaking to Al Mamlaka, Dweiri said the decision is an internal Syrian matter, adding that communication remains ongoing with Syrian authorities in an effort to allow the entry of trucks.

 

He noted that Syria has not yet issued a decision permitting foreign trucks to enter the country, nor has it announced any exemption for Jordanian trucks from the ban.

 

Earlier on Tuesday, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transport Fares Abu Danna said the ministry was scheduled to discuss the issue of Jordanian trucks with the Syrian side on Sunday.

 

Meanwhile, head of the Truck Owners’ Association Mohammad Khair Dawoud said the recent Syrian decision concerning the entry of Jordanian trucks came as a surprise and contradicts the Jordanian-Syrian agreement currently in force.

 

He warned that the move has disrupted Jordan’s trucking fleet and will have a negative impact on national exports.

 

Damascus had issued a decision on Saturday stipulating that "non-Syrian trucks will not be allowed to enter" the country, and that goods being imported by road must be unloaded at specific points at border crossings, AFP reported.

 

Dozens of trucks unable to enter the country were lined up on the Lebanese side of the Masnaa border crossing on Tuesday, an AFP photographer saw.

 

Ahmad Tamer, head of land and maritime transportation at the Lebanese transport ministry told AFP that discussions were underway with Damascus over the decision.

 

He said the issue was not specifically targeting Lebanon -- which is trying to reset ties with Damascus after the fall of Bashar Assad -- adding that he hoped to hold a meeting with the Syrian side soon.

 

Lebanon sends around 500 trucks to Syria per day, according to Tamer.

 

Around 250 Jordanian trucks travel to Syria daily, according to him.

 

A source in the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs told AFP that the decision aimed to "regulate the movement of cargo through the ports".

 

Representatives of unions and associations in Lebanon's transport sector denounced the decision on Tuesday and warning of "negative repercussions", according to the state-run National News Agency.

 

Syria is the only land route Lebanon can use to export merchandise to wealthy Gulf markets.

 

As part of continued attempts to rekindle ties, the two countries signed an agreement on Friday to hand around 300 Syrian convicts over to Damascus.