Prime Minister Tammam Salam said Monday that “there are 1.5 million Syrian refugees in a country that has limited resources,” calling for the creation of a safe zone inside Syria for the Syrian displaced.
Salam’s remarks came during a speech he delivered at the Arab League Summit in Mauritania.
“The most dangerous crisis that the entire nation is facing is the Syrian tragedy whose flames have lashed Lebanon,” Salam said.
He added that Lebanon is a small country and the international aid it is receiving is not enough to meet the needs of the refugees and the host community.
The Lebanese PM reiterated that Lebanon is not a country that permanently resettles displaced people.
“We look forward to the day when there will be peace in Syria so that the refugees can safely return to their homeland,” he clarified.
Salam concluded by saying, “We are keen on the Arab interest and we express our solidarity with our Arab brothers.”
Earlier today, Salam met with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the sidelines of the summit.
PM Salam and the Kuwaiti emir discussed the bilateral relations between Lebanon and Kuwait as well as the general developments in the region.
Arab leaders and top officials gathered in the Mauritanian capital to attend the opening of the Arab League Summit, where delegates aim to give a new push to Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Chaired by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, the summit opened on Monday inside a large tent in Nouakchott.