Details of the Beginning of the Syrian Refugees Return Process

Minister of Social Affairs in the caretaker government, Hector Hage, indicated that "Lebanon does not need to obtain international approval to return the refugees; we are a sovereign state with our own choices and we only inform the international community about what we want to do." Hage stated in an interview with "Voice of Lebanon" radio that "the minister of displaced persons' plan to return the refugees was a personal initiative, while now we are working at the level of the three presidents and the ministerial committee, appointing someone to follow up on the technical matters with the Syrian state to secure safe returns." He added: "Currently, we are in the phase of accepting applications from those who wish to return voluntarily, and in the next phase, there will be further steps, which will be progressive and taken by the Lebanese state." In response to a question, Hage noted that "setting the zero hour for the departure of 1600 refugees to Syria is in the hands of the General Security Directorate, which is awaiting responses regarding them from the Syrian authorities to determine their return date."