Bou Habib: 150,000 Syrian Displaced Persons Returning Monthly to Their Country

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in the caretaker government, Abdullah Bou Habib, mentioned that "Beirut has requested that UN assistance be more focused on investment rather than consumption," noting that "Lebanon and Jordan have sought understanding from the Western European countries supporting Syrian displaced persons regarding the situation of the two countries." In a statement to the "Rudaw" network on the sidelines of the seventh conference in Brussels on Syria and the region, he indicated that "the number of Syrian displaced persons in Lebanon ranges between 1.5 million and 2 million," clarifying that "there is no official census of their numbers so far," and emphasized the "lack of cooperation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with Lebanon in this regard." Regarding the number of those returning legally to Syria, Bou Habib revealed that "their numbers range between 120,000 and 150,000 monthly." Concerning reports of Lebanese authorities tightening conditions to force displaced persons to return to their country, he denied those claims, stressing that "Lebanon does not treat Syrians in this manner as Western nations do; we have the right to return anyone who does not have residency, while welcoming any Syrian holding refugee or work permits." He believes that "the steps taken by the Arab Ministers' Council regarding Syria will contribute to resolving issues between Damascus and the European Union," explaining that this could happen "through obtaining a Syrian response followed by lifting sanctions and the reappointment of ambassadors from Western countries and others in Damascus."