Lebanon insists on returning Syrian refugees to homeland: Minister

Beirut, June 15

Lebanon insists on returning Syrian refugees to their homeland, Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar said.

"In Brussels, behind the scenes of all the meetings dealing with the issue of displaced Syrians, the Europeans are clinging to their position rejecting the return of the Syrians to their country," Hajjar tweeted on Wednesday.

He was questioning the purpose of the ongoing Seventh Brussels Conference held by the European Union on finding political solutions to the Syrian crisis.

"It is their duty to secure aid, but we will only be satisfied if the displaced return to their homeland," the Lebanese Minister noted.

On Tuesday, the Lebanese cabinet affirmed its final position that the displaced Syrians must return to their country safely and dignifiedly in line with international resolutions, Xinhua news agency reported.

The cabinet also announced that a Lebanese ministerial delegation would visit Syria soon to discuss the return of refugees with Syrian authorities.

Lebanon aims to secure a safe return for Syrian refugees to their homeland as the country's internal security and economic situation can no longer support their stay.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib previously said there are about two million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and the figure threatens to disrupt the structure of Lebanese society.