Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati affirmed that "the sum of one billion euros" announced by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to grant to Lebanon as financial support "is unconditional" and that it will benefit "Lebanon and the Lebanese."
"It has not been provided with the condition of keeping Syrian migrants in Lebanon," he insisted in an interview with the LBCI channel. "This aid program, which will extend until 2027, will focus on the health and education sectors," he explained.
"It will also benefit the most vulnerable families and include assistance to security forces, mainly the General Security and the Internal Security Forces, to control the borders, as well as to the Army."
This aid program was announced on Thursday during a visit to Beirut by von der Leyen and the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, to discuss notably Syrian migrants attempting to reach Cyprus, and thus Europe, by sea from the Lebanese coast.
[readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/lebanon/251183"]
Mikati, who focused on the issue of Syrian refugees, reiterated Lebanon's determination to enforce the law throughout the territory and to repatriate any foreign person "who is in an illegal situation in Lebanon."
"We have asked the European Union to adhere to the principle that there are safe zones in Syria," he added.
Stressing that he has been in contact with his Syrian counterpart, Mikati noted that the latter assured him that Damascus "does not oppose the return of Syrians to their country." He also assured that "Lebanon will not expose any political refugee to danger" and that these cases will be studied. In this regard, he emphasized that the Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, will travel to Syria if necessary.
Mikati also noted that Lebanon has set a condition for the European Union not to grant aid to Syrians in Lebanon.
"These must serve as an incentive to encourage them to return to their country," he argued. He emphasized that he will present, at the eighth Brussels conference in support of the future of Syria (at the end of May), a study on the impact of the Syrian presence in Lebanon, based on a report by the World Bank on the same subject.
Regarding the situation in southern Lebanon, Mikati noted that discussions are ongoing with the United States and France to achieve stability. In this context, he noted that he had announced to the French Foreign Minister, Stéphane Séjourné, that he wanted to introduce modifications to the French roadmap that Séjourné had given him during his visit to Beirut on Sunday, April 28.
"It has not been provided with the condition of keeping Syrian migrants in Lebanon," he insisted in an interview with the LBCI channel. "This aid program, which will extend until 2027, will focus on the health and education sectors," he explained.
"It will also benefit the most vulnerable families and include assistance to security forces, mainly the General Security and the Internal Security Forces, to control the borders, as well as to the Army."
This aid program was announced on Thursday during a visit to Beirut by von der Leyen and the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, to discuss notably Syrian migrants attempting to reach Cyprus, and thus Europe, by sea from the Lebanese coast.
[readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/lebanon/251183"]
Mikati, who focused on the issue of Syrian refugees, reiterated Lebanon's determination to enforce the law throughout the territory and to repatriate any foreign person "who is in an illegal situation in Lebanon."
"We have asked the European Union to adhere to the principle that there are safe zones in Syria," he added.
Stressing that he has been in contact with his Syrian counterpart, Mikati noted that the latter assured him that Damascus "does not oppose the return of Syrians to their country." He also assured that "Lebanon will not expose any political refugee to danger" and that these cases will be studied. In this regard, he emphasized that the Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, will travel to Syria if necessary.
Mikati also noted that Lebanon has set a condition for the European Union not to grant aid to Syrians in Lebanon.
"These must serve as an incentive to encourage them to return to their country," he argued. He emphasized that he will present, at the eighth Brussels conference in support of the future of Syria (at the end of May), a study on the impact of the Syrian presence in Lebanon, based on a report by the World Bank on the same subject.
Regarding the situation in southern Lebanon, Mikati noted that discussions are ongoing with the United States and France to achieve stability. In this context, he noted that he had announced to the French Foreign Minister, Stéphane Séjourné, that he wanted to introduce modifications to the French roadmap that Séjourné had given him during his visit to Beirut on Sunday, April 28.
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