Russian ambassador Zasypkin meets Mansour over aid to Syrian refugees

Russian ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin met on Monday with caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour at the Boustros Palace.

Following the meeting, Zasypkin reiterated Russia's support to Lebanon, adding that his country will offer three cargo airplanes carrying humanitarian aid to help the Syrian refugees.

The UN Higher Council for Refugees (UNHCR) said in August 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.

UNHCR 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.

The Lebanese state has repeatedly warned that the massive flocking of Syrian refugees into Lebanon puts security, economic and social burdens on Lebanon.

Lebanon called on the International community for a political and security solution for the crisis.