President Sleiman chairs ministerial meeting

President Michel Sleiman chaired on Wednesday a ministerial meeting to discuss procedures to be taken to address the influx of Syrian refugees into Lebanon.

Following the talks, President Sleiman called for abiding by the dissociation policy based on the Baabda Declaration, urging Lebanese leaders to put Lebanon's interests on their top priorities.

The UN Higher Council for Refugees (UNHCR) said Monday that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon receiving aid from the government, the UN and its NGO partners has reached the threshold of 703,000.

The number of registered refugees is more than 592,000, while more than 110,000 are still waiting for their registration process to be completed, it said.

It added that 198,000 Syrian refugees were registered in northern Lebanon, representing 33 percent of the total number of refugees; 201,000 in the eastern Bekaa region, representing 34 percent; 115,000 in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, representing 18 percent; and 77,000 in southern Lebanon, representing 13 percent.

On Syria, President Sleiman called for a political solution to the Syrian crisis "away from military intervention."

It is to note that President Sleiman held talks with caretaker PM NAjib Mikati prior to the ministerial meeting.

Momentum appeared to build Tuesday for Western military action against Syria, with the U.S. and France saying they are in position for a strike, while the government in Damascus vowed to use all possible measures to repel it.

The West says the strike against Syria comes in retaliation to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

The Syrian regime denies the allegations, waving responsibility for the alleged attack.