Soaid Meets Geagea, Urges 'Measures' against Syrians Not Eligible for Refugee Status

March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soaid on Thursday called for taking “necessary measures” towards Syrians “moving freely” between Lebanon and Syria, stressing that they are not part of the refugees who have fled “the killing machine called Bashar Assad.”

“The scene of the Syrian presidential elections that were held in Lebanon raises a question mark regarding the definition of a Syrian refugee. Do all Syrians residing in Lebanon really need to be in Lebanon?” Soaid said after meeting Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab.

“The heroic Syrian people are fighting a killing machine called Bashar Assad,” the embattled Syrian president who is seeking a third presidential term.

And as he noted that “Lebanon has utilized its assets and opened its heart and mind for all Syrian families,” Soaid added: “Are all Syrians in Lebanon afraid for their safety or are they crossing the Lebanese-Syrian border under the eyes of the Lebanese General Security?”

“If they can move freely from and to Syria and if they can come to the embassy, this means that their lives are not in danger. Therefore, the relevant security agencies and ministries must take the necessary measures in this regard,” Soaid added.

His remarks come a day after thousands of Syrians streamed to their embassy in Yarze to vote in the presidential polls, in what Damascus' Lebanese critics described as a prearranged “show of force.”

The midweek, poorly organized vote triggered a suffocating traffic congestion in the area, stranding thousands of commuters in their cars amid an excruciating summer heat.

Separately, Soaid pointed out that “the presidential vacuum has started to affect all the Lebanese,” rejecting remarks that “the country and its cabinet and parliament can continue functioning normally” amid the absence of a president.

Stressing the need to elect a new head of state as soon as possible, Soaid said the major responsibility falls on the shoulders of “all Maronite leaders who have contributed to obstructing quorum,” accusing Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun – without naming him -- of maneuvering and torpedoing the presidential vote.

“Until the moment, Dr. Geagea still enjoys the full and complete support of the March 14 forces, and as a presidential candidate, he is showing flexibility and not closing the door in the face of any solution that can rescue the republic and the Lebanese constitution," Soaid added.

Addressing Hizbullah, he went on to say: "You have not triumphed anywhere and you must come to dialogue with the Lebanese according to Lebanese standards and the conditions of the Lebanese state, not according to a balance of power that you define."

Y.R.