Mikati says Lebanon to apply laws as to entry of ex-Syrian officials

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s press office commented Tuesday on reports saying some former Syrian regime officials have entered Lebanon or used its territory to travel to other countries.

“The Lebanese government’s policy has always been to resort to Lebanese and international laws, and this is something it had adopted throughout the previous period, when Lebanon took in hundreds of thousands of Syrian brothers,” the office said.

“Mr. Prime Minister is closely following up on this matter and to this end he has carried out intensive contacts with caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury, State Prosecutor Judge Jamal al-Hajjar and General Security chief Maj. Gen. Elias Bayssari, instructing that the applicable laws and regulations be followed in dealing with this file, under the supervision of the relevant judicial authorities, in a manner that would achieve the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese and the future of ties with the Syrian people,” the office added.

Commenting on the same unconfirmed reports, the Progressive Socialist Party had warned of “the danger of turning Lebanon into a safe haven for these officials, who are responsible for a lot of crimes against Lebanese and Syrian citizens.”

Moreover, it called on the state and its security and judicial agencies to “address this matter and prevent it from occurring so that Lebanon does not bear legal and political consequences.”