Various ministers hold joint press conference on the issue of detained Lebanese pilgrims

Following the meeting of the ministerial committee commissioned to follow up on the case of the Lebanese pilgrims who were detained in Aazaz by the Syrian rebels, Labor Minister Salim Jreisati, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, Justice Minister Shakib Kortbawi and Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour held a televised press conference in which they told the reporters the latest updates concerning this case and the procedures the committee will be following to provide information about the detainees.

The ministers stressed on the importance of the Lebanese-Turkish relations and the role Turkey is playing to release the detainees.In this context, Jreisati hoped the Turkish authorities will communicate with Lebanon according to the good relations between the two countries. He also explained that the committee is isolated from the work of mediators and what he called "the war of recordings".

For his part, Mansour emphasized that Turkey is playing a major role in this case and can influence the kidnappers to release the pilgrims.

Kortbawi also commented and said that there are no Syrian activists detained in Lebanese prisons. "All those detained have committed crimes," he added.

In turn, Charbel stated that there are political tensions that are causing the change of schedules set for the release of the detainees.

The eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped on their way back from Iran by insurgents hoping to use them for a prisoner swap on the 20th of May. Only two have so far been released.