Plumbly Lauds Close Follow up of Refugees Issue, Reopening of Labweh-Arsal Road

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly lauded on Wednesday the determination of the government to follow up closely on the issue of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the reopening of a vital road in the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Following a meeting with Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, Plumbly said: “I congratulated him on his new and heavy responsibilities.”

“I welcomed the determination of the new Lebanese government, particularly the minister himself, to follow up closely on the issue of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, their needs and the needs of the Lebanese communities hosting them,” he said.

Plumbly also lauded “the government’s intention to form a joint ministerial committee to oversee the issue and its intention to ensure close cooperation with the United Nations in addressing it.”

The diplomat told reporters that their discussions focused on the situation of the refugees in the northeastern border town of Arsal, which is now home to 40,000 Lebanese and 52,000 Syrian refugees.

Another 200 Syrian families arrived in Arsal over the past few days, fleeing fighting as Syrian troops seized the central strategic town of Yabrud near Lebanon's border, said Lisa Abu Khaled of the U.N.'s refugee agency.

Plumbly welcomed the measures taken by the Lebanese army on Wednesday to reopen the Labweh-Arsal road, which was blocked by Hizbullah gunmen and Shiite residents of Labweh after several rocket attacks on Shiite towns and following the infiltration of rebels from Syria into the town.

The reopening of the road “is very important for the continuity of the work of the U.N. agencies and other relief organizations there,” Plumbly said.

Derbas also said he agreed with the U.N. diplomat “that assistance for the Syrian refugees is a joint responsibility of Lebanon, the United Nations, donor countries and the international community as a whole.”

Plumbly “voiced his satisfaction with the measures taken by the Lebanese army to avoid a crisis,” he added.