The Lebanese President announces his country’s rejection to integrate Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Lebanese President Michel Aoun announced yesterday that Lebanon rejects any integration of Syrian refugees in their places of residence.
He said during his meeting with the new deputy special envoy for Syria Najat Rushdi that his country rejects any tendency to integrate the displaced Syrians in their places of residence, and the European countries should be aware of this fact and act accordingly.
Lebanon’s refusal to integrate Syrian refugees coincided with official Lebanese demands to repatriate the refugees to Syria without waiting for a political solution.
Lebanese officials had previously threatened to return Syrian refugees to Syria if the international community did not help the country, in light of the economic crisis it is witnessing.
The Lebanese Minister of Displaced Affairs, Issam Sharaf El-Din, confirmed few day ago “Lebanon will follow the plan of returning refugees to Syria, regardless of the UNHCR’s position.”
It is noteworthy that nearly a million Syrians live in Lebanon, a large part of them in camps that receive direct aid from the United Nations and relief organizations, while the rest live in rented houses..
