Ex-president Michel Aoun warns of damaging consequences of refugee integration, demands respect for Lebanon's sovereignty

Former President Michel Aoun has denounced in a statement the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell's stance regarding the issue of the Syrian refugees return, adding that the project of integrating the refugees into Lebanese society is a deliberate destruction of Lebanon.  

 

The statement affirmed that Josep Borrell does not want normalization with the Syrian regime, which is his affair.  

"As for his talk about keeping the refugees in host countries and linking their return to a political solution, that is our affair and the fate of our homeland, and we reject it entirely […] We refuse Lebanon to pay the price of the war waged against Syria," added the statement. 

"Legitimate questions must be raised about the role of France and Germany in this matter: Who gave them the right to manipulate Lebanon's destiny? For what purpose? And for whose benefit? What kind of "future" for Syria and Lebanon do you want to "support" while seeking to undermine the fabric of both countries and strike at their foundations of existence?" the statement affirmed. 

"The integration project cancels the return of Syrians to their country and their land, with all the repercussions that this entails for Lebanon and Syria on various levels. It is a decision that undermines both Lebanese and Syrian societies, and they must reject and resist it, no matter the cost. Coordination between the two states is necessary to achieve a dignified and secure return," it concluded.