Ibrahim Says Ready for Any Govt. Mission to Coordinate Return of Refugees
General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said he is willing to carry out any mission entrusted to him by the Lebanese government as for dialogue with Syria to facilitate the return of displaced Syrians home, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.
“I am at the disposal of the political authority and I am ready to carry out any mission I am tasked with,” as long as there is a political decision about it, Ibrahim told the daily in an interview.
The General Security chief added that “security coordination with related parties (in Syria) has not changed, it is the same as it was previously and falls in the security interest of both countries.”
Abbas' comments came after media reports pointed to an inclination to task him to “politically coordinate with the Syrian government on the refugee file – in his capacity as a presidential envoy.”
Reports said the Lebanese government will maintain “its dissociation policy and it would later agree to any solutions that the 'presidential envoy' would reach, knowing that he enjoys good ties with the various local and external parties that are concerned with the crisis.”
The return of Syrian refugees has taken the forefront after the latest security sweep to combat terrorism in settlements camps in Arsal that left seven soldiers wounded in suicide attacks.
Some calls arose encouraging coordination between the Lebanese and Syrian governments to return the displaced home, while others encouraged their return to be organized via the United Nations.
Several officials of Hariri's al-Mustaqbal Movement are strongly opposed to any communication with Damascus, especially State Minister for Refugee Affairs Moein al-Merehbi.
Several political parties, especially Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement, have called for coordinating the return of the displaced with the Syrian government.
Source: Naharnet
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