REPORT: Sleiman says issue of Syrian refugees became an existential threat

President Michel Sleiman said that the issue of the Syria refugees has become an existential threat to Lebanon, stressing that there is an urgent need to deploy Arab effort in order to convince the states to share the burden imposed by this issue.

In his speech delivered during the 25^th Arab summit held in Kuwait, Sleiman called on the Arab nations to keep on supporting Lebanon on the bilateral and international levels, to help controlling the borders with Syria and to put an end to put an end to the Israeli violations.

On the Syrian crisis, Sleiman praised the logic of dialogue, expressing support for the efforts exerted in a bid to reach a political solution that will restore Syria’s stability and unity.

The Lebanese president had met with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the Arab summit in Kuwait, and discussed with him the importance of improving Arab cooperation as well as the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon.

Sleiman expressed gratitude to the Emir of Qatar for the efforts his country deployed to resolve the issue of the Azaz hostages and the abducted nuns of Maaloula, hoping that they will continue their efforts in order to release all the kidnapped.

Separately, the Lebanese president met with the interim Egyptian President Adly Mansour and tackled the Syrian crisis, the growing terrorism in the region and means to fight it.

Sleiman also held talks with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and discussed the conditions of the Palestinian refugees.

In this regard, Abbas stressed that the Palestinian refugees are guests who must abide by the Lebanese laws, noting that he supports the latest measures implemented in the refugee camps.

Arab leaders struggling with an array of foreign policy disputes opened an annual summit on Tuesday to try to forge a common stand on Syria's war and what many of them see as the menace of Iranian-US rapprochement.

The gathering in Kuwait follows an unprecedented row among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alliance of Gulf Arab states over Qatari support for Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, and a verbal spat between Iraq and Saudi Arabia over violence in Iraq's Anbar province.


LBCI/REUTERS


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