Refugee data dispute: Syrian refugee crisis sparks dialogue with the EU

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In the process of formulating the working mechanism for the ministerial committee and ministerial delegation tasked with coordinating with Syrian authorities on the refugee file, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has taken diplomatic steps to lay the groundwork for this dialogue.

The dialogue addresses the Syrian refugee crisis on two fronts - one with Syrian authorities and the other with the West, particularly the European Union.

In his efforts, Minister Bou Habib has been in contact with the Syrian Chargé d'Affaires in Lebanon to coordinate potential dialogue steps.

According to LBCI, there is an agreement to form a joint delegation from both countries, specifically from their foreign ministries, to meet either in Lebanon if the Syrian delegation decides to visit or in Syria if Minister Bou Habib leads a delegation from his ministry there.

The agenda of the agreed-upon discussions includes the European Union's decision regarding the return of refugees and the exchange of information and coordination between the two countries, especially in light of the recent incident where a Lebanese boat carrying around 150 refugees arrived in Cyprus. The refugees remain stranded there as Cyprus refuses to keep them on its territory, while Lebanon denies their return.

Regarding Europe, sources from the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that the Foreign Minister's message to the European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, in response to the EU's decision to keep the refugees in Lebanon, is an invitation to engage in dialogue on managing the refugee file by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Lebanon, taking into consideration Lebanese reservations, and reaffirming Lebanon's stance on their return.

While awaiting a response and as refugee data has not yet been submitted, LBCI has learned that the measures previously taken by the Foreign Affairs Ministry against UNHCR and its affiliated organizations in Lebanon will continue. This includes the suspension of entry visas to Lebanon and the processing of any transactions or residency applications for their employees.

Additionally, the ban on importing tents, supplies, and materials intended for the refugees into the country will persist as long as UNHCR refuses to share refugee data with the Lebanese General Security and cooperate with Lebanese authorities.