The international community is "dismayed by repeated false accusations" that it is working to settle Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Germany's ambassador in Beirut, Martin Huth, said on Thursday.
Lebanese caretaker foreign minister Gebran Bassil has accused the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the international community of preventing Syrian refugees returning home from Lebanon.
Huth said in an emailed statement to Reuters that the international community was "fully aware of the heavy burden Lebanon is bearing" through hosting more than a million refugees.
"Many of us are doing all we can to alleviate the situation," he added, citing assistance and commitments made to Lebanon through international donor conferences and UN agencies.
He said the international community and the United Nations were "fully committed to an eventual return of refugees to Syria".
"At the same time, and while we do not oppose voluntary returns to Syria, conditions in that country, in our view, do not allow for a general and comprehensive return of refugees at this time."