Bassil: It is our duty to help the Syrians

Energy Minister Gebran Bassil held a televised press conference on Saturday in which he tackled the issue of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and its repercussions.

In this context, Bassil stated that Lebanon's position regarding the Syrian crisis is clear and is translated by providing humanitarian aid and remaining isolated from its consequences.

“It is our duty to help the Syrians whether they’ve helped in the past or not”, he affirmed.

The minister then added: “We were accused of racism, sectarianism and being inhuman for tackling the issue of the Syrian refugees as it is, which made our worries grow.”

Bassil stressed that the Lebanese must put an end to the flux of refugees and limit the burdens on Lebanon, emphasizing that he and his political bloc did not call for deporting the refugees nor closing the borders.

According to Bassil, the Lebanese state cannot handle the financial burdens of the humanitarian aid and that the presence of radical members among the displaced people threatens Lebanon’s security and culture.