Mexico's FM Looks Forward for Cooperation with Lebanon on Syria Refugees

Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade, who is on an official visit to Beirut, said he is looking forward for a wider cooperation with Lebanon to help it confront the burden of Syrian refugees.

“Part of our dialogue with Lebanon should take into consideration Lebanon's burden in assisting the refugees,” Meade told An Nahar daily in an interview published on Tuesday.

However, the foreign minister, who is of Lebanese origin, shied away from announcing that his country would walk in Uruguay's footsteps and host refugees.

Close to 4 million people have fled Syria since the start of the conflict in 2011. Most live in neighboring countries, including Lebanon, which hosts around 1.5 million displaced Syrians.

Asked about efforts exerted by some officials to give the citizenship to Lebanese expats, Meade said that a document he had signed with Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil during his visit to Mexico in February focused on the exchange of expertise at the consular level.

“The idea lies in giving Lebanese diplomats … information on ways Mexico deals with its community abroad so that they learn how the Lebanese government could back its expats,” he said.

The foreign minister lauded the Lebanese community in Mexico, saying the country has more than 500,000 Mexicans of Lebanese origin.

“It is a very successful community mainly in the fields of business, culture, science and politics,” he added.

Meade's visit to Beirut comes as Mexico and Lebanon mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between them.

G.K.

H.K.