BEIRUT, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon and Syria agreed Monday to form joint committees to address the issues of border security and missing persons, during a meeting between the two sides in Beirut.

A Syrian delegation, led by Mohammed Taha Al-Ahmad, director of Arab Affairs at Syria's foreign affairs authorities, met with Lebanon's Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.

According to Lebanon's National News Agency, the meeting focused on ways to resolve common issues and strengthen mutual trust.

Key topics discussed included the cases of Syrian detainees and missing persons in Lebanon, as well as Lebanese missing persons in Syria, according to the report.

They also agreed to cooperate on border control and prevent smuggling, while discussing the facilitation of the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

Also on Monday, Deputy High Commissioner for UN High Commission of Refugees Kelly T. Clements said in a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam that more than 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Lebanon, with expectations that over 200,000 additional refugees could return by the end of the year.

According to estimates by Lebanon's General Security Directorate, the country hosts more than 2.08 million Syrian refugees. ■