Lebanon, Cyprus to Work on Curbing Migrant Arrivals by Boat
Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab said Tuesday that Lebanon and Cyprus have agreed to work together on curbing boat loads of migrants from reaching the east Mediterranean island nation.
Bou Saab said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart that Lebanon would pass on information to Cypriot authorities to better coordinate in heading off such arrivals.
Bou Saab said Lebanon understands Cypriot concerns over such arrivals and that the Lebanese navy had stopped migrants trying to reach Cyprus "many times."
Saab added that the both countries are looking to better coordinate their naval forces.
Cyprus officials have said that the EU-member country leads the 28 member-bloc in the number of asylum applications relative to its population.
Source: Associated Press
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