Bassil Appeals for Debt Relief to Resolve Refugee Crisis
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil said Wednesday that the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon requires debt relief by the international community.
“The refugee crisis needs qualitative solutions by the international community such as debt relief and buying all our agricultural products,” Bassil said at the opening of the Beirut Ministerial Conference on the European Neighborhood Policy Review.
The FM warned that the crisis has severe economic, social and security repercussions on Syria's neighboring countries.
Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas said last week that the number of refugees registered with the U.N. refugee agency, the UNHCR, has reached approximately 1.2 million.
More Syrians have entered the country illegally and are not registered.
In his speech, Bassil called for “cooperation to dry the sources of Takfiri and Islamic State thoughts and their financial support coming from states, organizations or individuals.”
The conference is attended by European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Hahn launched last March a consultation on the future of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) aiming at undertaking a fundamental review of its principles, scope and instruments in light of the significant developments in the region.
Hahn on Wednesday signed with Lebanese officials two financing agreements totaling 34 million euros ($38.13 million) in grants in support of national stability and the protection of maritime resources.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/182982 |