Syrian Envoy: Solution to Refugee Crisis Hinges on End of Foreign Funding, Arming

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali said the crisis of refugees from Syria would be resolved if what he said the funding and arming of rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar Assad would stop.

In remarks to As Safir daily published on Thursday, Ali said that Syria “is keen on resolving the issue of the refugees on humanitarian grounds.”

“The most important effort that could be exerted to provide relief aid to the displaced lies in ending the incitement, funding and arming carried out by some countries and foreign intelligence agencies,” he said.

The involved parties “should also refrain from finding the embracing environment for extremism,” Ali added.

“Then the crisis of the displaced will end automatically,” the diplomat stressed.

His remarks came amid a controversy on two complaint letters he handed over to the Lebanese foreign ministry over alleged violations carried out by the ministry of social affairs.

On Tuesday, Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour revealed that Ali reiterated in a second letter accusations that the ministry was distributing aid to refugees disproportionately.

In the first letter, Ali said that his mission had received complaints from Syrian refugees claiming “extremist Salafist organizations” were demanding that they declare their opposition to the Assad regime in return for aid through the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

The ambassador accused the social affairs ministry of being responsible for the pressure exerted on the displaced.

Abou Faour said Tuesday that he will make an appropriate response to the two letters.