Abou Faour Rejects Formation of Committee that 'Hands Syrian Opposition Refugees to Regime'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour stated that the recent proposal to establish a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee to deal with the conditions of the Syrian refugees “has raised fears in Lebanon,” reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.
He told the daily: “We refuse the formation of a committee that may lead to handing over of Syrian opposition members to the Syrian regime.”
To that end, he revealed that he had contacted President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour to clarify claims of the formation of such a committee.
The foreign minister denied reports that such a body would be formed, said the minister.
“This proposal entails holding talks with a side that is behind the Syrian crisis,” said Abou Faour in indirect reference to the Syrian regime.
On the possible formation of the joint committee, he noted: “We are not in need of another issue that will cause more political disputes.”
“The current debates should lead us to affirm our position in dealing with the refugee file from a humanitarian approach and away from politics,” he stressed.
On aid to the refugees fleeing Syria to Lebanon, the minister revealed that Germany is committed to granting $20 million in aid to the displaced, while the European Union is seeking to make a “sizable” donation, the bulk of which will be directed to the refugees in Lebanon.
In addition, Kuwait is preparing to hold a meeting for donor countries in order to present more aid to the refugees, he said.
Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) reported on Friday that Lebanon is seeking to establish a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee to deal with the conditions of the Syrian refugees across the country.
It said that Mansour discussed with Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali a proposal to establish the committee that will be tasked with tackling the issue of Syrian refugees.
According to the latest report issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 170,637 Syrian refugees have been registered in Lebanon while reports say that around 50,000 are still not registered.
The cabinet agreed on Thursday to urge the Arab League and international organizations to hold extraordinary meetings to highlight the situation of the refugees.
Mansour had also called on Arab League General Secretary Nabil al-Arabi to hold an urgent session to support Lebanon's efforts to aid the refugees on its territories.
Arabi informed him that he will perform all necessary calls with Arab ministers to hold a meeting on the situation of refugees in Lebanon in the coming days.
06 January 2013, 09:36
24
In addition, Kuwait is preparing to hold a meeting for donor countries in order to present more aid to the refugees, he said..............
Thanks Kuwait but no thanks, we would rather you take some of the refugees and keep your $$. It is a nice gesture but sharing the responsibility of hosting refugees is even a better gesture.
06 January 2013, 11:37
32
hahahaha! another member of the gvt criticizing the gvt he is part of!!
no day without a good laugh from this incompetent gvt!!!!
06 January 2013, 12:00
41
you are both two stupid M8ers but no surprise here in your attempt to defend the undefendable...
any gvt shows unity even if the ministers disagree they whether resign or shut up... but your gvt is making a laugh of itself, not a single day when a minister is not criticizing the gvt he is part of!!! and you call that efficiency? LOL!! bright image they give of unity!!
they call lebanese to unite and they are totally unable to set the example!!!!
and that is an example you are proud of it seems!
it seems your brains are bugging...keep on giving me a good sunday laugh!
06 January 2013, 12:23
43
thank you Abu Faour, and guys, we are going to welcome our Syrian brothers and sisters no matter how much you oppose.
06 January 2013, 13:47
23
Do u live in Lebanon? I mean no offense, just asking if you've seen what's happening here.
Do u think Lebanon can support an extra 200,000 ppl?... N it's just beginning. if the war reaches Damascus can u imagine how many ppl will cross over? We have to b ready now! Can Beirut house another million ppl by the end of this?
I'm sorry to be unpoliticaly correct, but all these beggers need to go! Wtf they've taken over hamra! If u can afford a house and u want to come to Beirut, Ahla w sahlan, bas gher hek man we need to set up camp as close to the border as possible!!! Like turkey.
06 January 2013, 17:46
12
"Lebanon" has not bee doing anything, the sympathetic Lebanese have been
07 January 2013, 04:58
01
Sidon: do you feel safe walking in da7ye at night? why do taxi drivers nto go to da7ye after 9PM? It has nothing to do with Syrian refugees...
07 January 2013, 10:33
00
But that's the point, the rest of Beirut is turning into da7yi!! The Shia area of Beirut is a Lebanese issue... An extra 200.000+ ppl from Syria is not what we need now! Are u willing to accept that many Persians coming here?!
Turkey has enough money to finance a war, they can help the refugees. Did u hear they closed their border??? Where's the outrage there? This is getting ridiculous, we are a tourist peace loving nation. We don't need this now!
06 January 2013, 17:47
03
Let me ask you FT, what have the Syrian refugees cost you? Absolutely nothing because the government has NOT been helping, it has been the sympathetic people and NGOs, keep on hating, we have work to do and people to help.
06 January 2013, 13:36
14
U think if bashar has loyal gunmen left he's gonna send em to kill refugees? If anything all these refugee alleviate alota pressure on bashars gov.
Anyways something needs to be done. Noway we can have more than turkey! Turkey played it smart n made it undesirable for refugees to go there, while speaking publicly of welcoming them. Our gov let them in without registration, now we have a huge problem on our hands.
06 January 2013, 14:06
42
monitor the borders? LOL... after 2 years you start now to see the problem... really shortsighted M8 gvt...many leaders have called to monitor the borders way before you realize that for your electoral purposes! 2 years you ve been saying that it only affects a few insignificant cities! that the terrorists will soon be crushed! that bashar has everyting under control!! already forgot that, as usual!
now you see the problem? really laughable M8ers believing they are smart! thx for the laughs anyway! good laughs only come from people believing they are serious when telling BS...! hahahaha!
06 January 2013, 14:32
11
what is untimely the roar is that M8 starts only now to tackle this issue! while being silent over it for more than a year...
see why i m laughing? over their shortsighted policies and lack of planning.... inefficiency is more like it! and now all you M8ers start to cry out ? you are a bit late!
06 January 2013, 14:37
12
"you're fine if lebanon sinks"
it s entirely M8 fault, so you d better start and make your self criticism! your lack of planning and minimizing from the beginning what led to this situation is M8 responsibility and esp FPM whi have been telling that all is under control in syria!! denial as usual....
so cry as much as you want, deal with it now!
you are calling for unity on a situation your friends are responsible for? waw! that is called a childish behavior! clean up your mess first!!! and act for once instead of insulting others for the mess you created....
06 January 2013, 20:04
02
That is the issue - if they were christians then they are fine to come,otherwise they are not - reigion is opium of society and so true in arab societies.
06 January 2013, 20:10
11
THis is not an M8 or M14 issue. I am mostly M14 sympethizer and I am finding myself thinking along the same line as many M8 posters here. It is an issue of Border control, internal security, and infra-structure. I was for tight and controlled borders back in the days when the borders were open to Assad and Hezb to transport arms and armies. I am still for it now regardless of the identity of the violator. We need to be a country not a farm (even farms are fenced). If that makes us less humanitarian than Turkey, Jordan and all other FSA supporters then so be it. KSA and other Gulf countries are more capable of supporting the refugees than we are (so it least do it proportionally).
