Berri Tells World Bank VP Int'l Support for Lebanon 'Insufficient'

Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday announced that current international efforts to help Lebanon cope with the Syrian refugee crisis are “insufficient,” noting that they are insignificant compared to the “extreme” measures the country is facing in the tourism and banking sectors.

During a meeting with World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Inger Andersen and WB Mideast director Ferid Belhaj, Berri lauded “the international efforts that are aimed at preserving Lebanon's stability and helping it in aiding the Syrian refugees.”

But, according to state-run National News Agency, the speaker described these efforts as “insufficient.”

Andersen handed Berri the bank's report on the Syrian crisis' economic and social repercussions on Lebanon and briefed him on the proposed plans to address the problems, NNA said.

Berri said it is important to hold the Geneva II peace conference in order to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis and facilitate the return of refugees to their country.

"Lebanon is performing its role and doing everything in its capacity to help the Syrian refugees, despite the economic hardships it is facing," Berri added, pointing out that the declared "keenness on Lebanon's stability is not compatible with the extreme (international) measures it is facing in the tourism and banking sectors."

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has warned that Lebanon is heading towards a “disaster” over the alarming influx of Syrian refugees into the country.

He called on the international community to give a greater support to Lebanon, which has allowed more than a million Syrian refugees to settle since fighting broke out in Syria more than two and a half years ago.

“We need to do much more or we risk catastrophe in Lebanon,” Kim said.

Separately, Berri held talks Friday with EU ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst and Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi.