Beirut: Lebanese and Syrian technical delegations held meetings and conducted field inspections as part of efforts to restore the railway connection between the two countries and link the Port of Tripoli to the Syrian rail network, Lebanon's Railway and Public Transport Authority said in a statement. According to National news agency - Lebanon, the work follows up on the August 25 meeting in Damascus between Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny and Syrian Transport Minister Dr. Yarub Badr. The delegations inspected the existing railway line at the Port of Tripoli, with the Syrian side offering a positive assessment of its condition and the possibility of utilizing it. Its final suitability, however, remains subject to technical tests to be conducted by the consultant under the relevant contract. The teams then visited Akkari Station on the Syrian side, approximately five kilometers from the Lebanese border, where they discussed the possibility of connecting the Lebanese line to the sta tion and, from there, to Homs and the wider Syrian railway network. The Syrian delegation said differences in railway gauges between the two networks would not constitute a technical or operational obstacle to establishing the connection. The two sides agreed to continue work on the project, with the next phase focusing on completing technical studies of the proposed route and assessing projected freight volumes, economic feasibility, costs, and potential financing sources. A joint technical workshop is expected to follow. Should the project prove economically viable and the necessary financing be secured, it could connect the Port of Tripoli through Akkari Station and Homs to Syria's railway network, strengthening the port's role in regional trade and transportation. The link could also eventually be developed as part of a broader regional logistics corridor, the statement said.