Charbel: UAE, Qatar, Bahrain’s Travel Restrictions are Precautionary Measures

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stated that the situation in the northern city of Tripoli is improving “day after day”, questioning the motives of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar’s travel restrictions to Lebanon, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday.

He told the daily An Nahar: “The restrictions are a precautionary measure ahead of the touristic summer season.”

“Tourists demand a secure and stable environment and they therefore don’t need to put up with any dangers,” he remarked.

The minister told Asharq al-Awsat that the security situation in Lebanon should not be a cause for concern.

“I call on these Gulf countries to reconsider their decision,” he stressed.

“The Lebanese powers are diligent and none of them are seeking to create chaos in the country,” added Charbel.

“I don’t know what information they have to take such a decision. I was in Qatar ten months ago and met with its interior minister. The talks were positive and I don’t know what political and security changes took place for Qatar to have issued the restriction,” he stated.

He called on the Lebanese political powers to resume the national dialogue, hoping that a final solution for the Tripoli crisis would be reached before the situation deteriorates.

Clashes broke out in Tripoli on May 12 in light of the arrest of Islamist Shadi al-Mawlawi.

Some 10 people were killed and at least 70 wounded in fighting the ensued between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen.

Fears arose that other Gulf states would impose travel restrictions on its residents heading to Lebanon.

Concerned sources told An Nahar that the main reason for the restriction was the arrest of Qatari national Abdul Aziz al-Atiyeh in relation to al-Mawlawi’s case.

He had arrived in Lebanon for a liver transplant surgery and he had been barred from leaving the country, although he has since left Lebanon.

Other widely informed political sources said however that the restriction is in fact related to Syria’s recent accusation that some areas along the Lebanese-Syrian border have become “incubators” for terrorist elements from the al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood organizations.

A Syrian Foreign Ministry statement to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Friday that these sides are “tampering with the security of Syria and its citizens.”