In a rare diplomatic breakthrough for Damascus, a senior Syrian official will visit Amman on Wednesday to take part in a four-way meeting for energy ministers that will also include the host, Jordan, in addition to Lebanon and Egypt. The meeting will focus on technical and logistical details to facilitate the supply of Egyptian gas and electricity from Jordan through Syria to energy-starved Lebanon. Last June, Hala Zawati, Jordan’s energy minister, welcomed Syria’s oil and electricity ministers, Bassam Toa’me and Ghassan Al-Zamil, to Amman in the first visit of Syrian officials to the kingdom since 2011. Last Saturday, Lebanese Foreign Minister Zeina Akar led a high-level delegation to Damascus to discuss the deal with her Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad. It was the first official visit by a senior Lebanese delegation since the eruption of the Syrian civil war more than 10 years ago. Syria was quick to respond positively to Lebanon’s request to facilitate the supply of energy from Jordan through its own territory. Events have moved quickly since the Lebanese presidency announced earlier this month that the US had proposed supplying Lebanon with electricity and natural gas from Jordan and Egypt through Syrian territory. The US move came in response to a declaration by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah that Iran had sent a tanker to supply Lebanon with fuel oil amid the country’s energy crisis. The US move raises many questions about the short and long-term implications of Washington’s policy on Syria and beyond. For the four countries to meet so soon means that Amman and Cairo must have been given the green light by Washington to go ahead with the plan. Both risk sanctions under the Caesar Act, but the Biden administration can exempt them from penalties. While the project faces technical, logistical and financial hurdles, it is the political aspects that are intriguing. Both Jordan and Egypt have been pushing for normalizing ties with the Syrian regime as a step toward restoring the country’s seat in the Arab League. During his visit to Washington last month, King Abdullah told CNN that President Bashar Assad has legitimacy and that the regime is staying. He urged the US and the Europeans to open dialogue with Damascus in a bid to change the behavior of the regime instead of pushing for regime change. While Jordan is looking for economic benefits from the opening of a trade route with both Syria and Lebanon, it is also hoping to secure its northern borders against fighters who could be linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh, as well as against pro-Iranian militias. The Amman meeting this week could pave the way for further diplomatic engagement with the Syrian government. Amman opened the border crossing with Syria briefly before closing it when Syrian rebels in Daraa retook territory from the Syrian army. Russia tried to mediate a last-minute deal with the rebels but had little success. The Syrian army has been pounding the ancient city and is closing in. In order for energy to go through Syria to Lebanon, the Daraa province must be secured. Even then it will take at least a year for Syria to rehabilitate its electricity grid and gas pipeline. The US plan hopes to achieve two immediate things — first, to help the beleaguered Lebanese government resolve its energy crisis, at least partially; and, second, to derail Hezbollah’s bid to make Lebanon dependent on Iranian oil. By doing both it also hopes to hasten the formation of a new government in Lebanon in order to facilitate economic aid and prevent the country from imploding. The US plan hopes to achieve two immediate things — first, to help the beleaguered Lebanese government resolve its energy crisis, at least partially; and, second, to derail Hezbollah’s bid to make Lebanon dependent on Iranian oil. Osama Al-Sharif But a deeply polarized, as well as politically and economically paralyzed, Lebanon is divided over normalizing ties with Syria. Since the start of the Syrian civil war, Beirut has adopted a policy of detachment from the conflict, even though Hezbollah has sent fighters to defend the regime. However, by approving contacts with Damascus, Washington is also hoping to distance Syria from Iran. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have been accused of lacking a clear Syria strategy, while the Caesar Act has been criticized for hurting ordinary Syrians rather than the regime. Geopolitically, it is the Russians, Turks and Iranians who have made gains in Syria at the expense of the US. The energy deal may be seen as a symbolic step to re-engage the Syrian regime in other issues that could launch a new political process to end the decade-old conflict. The plan will be a boon for Damascus, enabling it to repair and upgrade both the gas pipeline and its electricity grid — work that can be done only with the financial backing of the World Bank and Washington’s approval. Syria will also exact fees for allowing gas and electricity to pass through its territory. In the short term, the fact that high-level contacts with Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt have been restored is in itself a major victory for the regime. Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. Twitter: @plato010 Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News" point-of-view