Geagea: Lebanon is a Transit Country, Not a Refuge

The head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, emphasized during his meeting with the UN Resident Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, in Maarab, that Lebanon "has borne a lot in the effort to rescue and host the Syrian people, but the situation can no longer endure. We must work together and swiftly to shift from organizing the stay of displaced people to organizing their return." He confirmed that "Lebanon is a transit country, not a refuge, according to an agreement signed with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 2003." He urged the international community to "build on the recent regional developments to help pull Lebanon out of this escalating crisis, noting that the issue has exceeded the economic or humanitarian concept or the provision of aid and has turned into an existential and sovereignty problem, making its resolution a top priority to prevent further deterioration and to safeguard the stability of the country and the region."