REPORT: Caretaker PM Mikati says Lebanon reconsiders file of Syrian refugees

 
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Thursday that Lebanon has been always seeking to uphold relations with all friend countries, mainly Turkey.

Speaking from Ankara, he stressed that those relations will remain strong at all levels, noting that his visit to Turkey aimed to improve bilateral relations between both countries.

In a question directed at Mikati over whether discussions will tackle the Syrian situation, he said: "The Syrian incidents are the main highlights today, since Lebanon is coping with the greatest burden resulting from the presence of Syrian refugees on its territories".

Mikati also said that Lebanon was forced to reconsider the approach of the Syrian refugees file to meet Lebanon’s national interests and its financial situation.

He also held talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which he said that he sensed from the Turkish officials a great concern for the Lebanese positions.

For his part, Erdogan reiterated his support to Lebanon, mainly regarding the Syrian refugees' file, adding that Turkey will deploy efforts to help Lebanon in this matter.

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.

It 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.

Separately, Mikati condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the Iranian embassy, noting that all the needed procedures will be implemented in order to protect the diplomatic missions in Lebanon.

A double suicide attack targeted on Tuesday, November 19 the Iranian embassy in south Beirut’s Bir el-Hassan region, killing at least 23 people, wounding 146 and damaging buildings in the embassy compound.

Caretaker Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil stated that the Cultural Attache of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sheikh Ibrahim Ansari was killed in the blasts.

Ansari took his post in Lebanon a month ago and was overseeing all regional cultural activities.

The Abdullah Azzam brigades, a Lebanon-based al Qaeda affiliate, said it was behind a double suicide attack on the Iranian embassy.


To watch the full LBCI's report, please click on the video above.