Suleiman Stresses Appeals for Aid over Syrian Refugees Crisis 'Not Begging'

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Thursday that Lebanon merely demanded the international community to share the burden created by the exodus of Syrian refugees and facilitate their return to their country.

“We didn't go to New York to beg but to ask the international community to share the financial burdens,” Suleiman said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper.

He pointed out that Lebanon called for the establishment of U.N.-protected refugee camps inside neighboring country Syria to facilitate the return of the refugees.

“The international community had acknowledged the repercussions caused by the turmoil on Lebanon... We can always demand aid regarding that matter after the U.N. vowed to maintain Lebanon's interest,” Suleiman told An Nahar.

During a meeting for the International Support Group for Lebanon on September 25, the international community and U.N. officials praised "the extreme generosity" of Lebanon in keeping its borders open to refugees during the 30-month-old war.

The attendees also reckoned that the country's sufferings from dramatic impact on its economy and its society by the inflow of refugees.

The international meeting in New York announced $339 million in additional humanitarian aid in response to the Syria crisis, including $74 million for Lebanon to support Syrian refugees.

Suleiman chaired on Wednesday a meeting at the Baabda Palace to tackle the ongoing influx of refugees.

The meeting was held in presence of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour and General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim.

The attendees agreed, according to An Nahar, not to close the border with Syria and stressed that the state will not establish camps as there's a political discord over the matter.

The daily said that the number of refugees reached 1.6 million.

Abou Faour told the newspaper that all the necessary measures to organize the influx of refugees were adopted during the meeting.

The United Nations’ refugee agency announced on Saturday that the number of Syrians who have fled their war-torn country and came to Lebanon has reached 779,000.

Recent figures by the Lebanese state showed that the actual number is around 1.3 million or about 30 percent of the Lebanese population, including all the unregistered Syrians.