The President of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, met with the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, in Maarab for an introductory visit. She was accompanied by Lisa Mour and Lina Al-Qudwa from the Political Affairs Office, while member of the "Strong Republic" bloc, MP Razi Haj, former Minister of Foreign Relations Richard Kyumjian, and Mark Saad from the relations department attended the meeting.
Geagea, as the head of the largest parliamentary bloc in the Assembly and party leader, handed her a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, focusing on the Syrian refugee crisis and how the regional office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Beirut is addressing it.
After the one-hour meeting, Haj explained the contents of the letter, highlighting that Geagea asserts "Lebanon is suffering from significant crises and issues, especially the chaotic and irregular presence of illegal Syrians, which constitutes nearly 45% of the total population in Lebanon." He noted that "what exacerbates the crisis is the way the regional office of the commission is handling this file."
He emphasized that this handling manifests through:
- Working to integrate Syrians into Lebanese society instead of genuinely working towards resettling them in a third country or returning them to Syria, especially since more than 90% of its territory is now safe, whether in regime-held areas or in opposition areas; even in some cases, the commission deliberately discourages those wishing to return voluntarily.
- The commission's refusal to provide "data" and complete information regarding those registered with it to the relevant official authorities clearly and explicitly.
- The commission's refusal to execute the content of the memorandum of understanding it signed with the Lebanese General Security in 2003, issued by a cabinet decree, which states that Lebanon is not a country of asylum but a transit country with a specific timeframe for the commission not exceeding one year to deal with any refugee present on Lebanese territory, to either return to their home country or to resettle in a third country.
- The commission's overreach into Lebanese sovereignty and violation of its mandate by granting Syrians refugee cards and residency permits in Lebanon, which falls exclusively within the authority of Lebanese authorities.
- The breach of diplomatic etiquette and norms in communications with official authorities, particularly the letter sent to the Ministry of Interior, which was later withdrawn after a request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Haj also announced that "the memorandum calls on Guterres to direct the commission's office in Lebanon to take the following steps:
- Immediately cease the practices mentioned
- Commit to implementing the content of the memorandum signed in 2003
- Deliver all information, "data," and details concerning illegal Syrians to the authorities in an orderly manner."
He concluded by emphasizing that "the failure of the commission in Lebanon to implement the requested measures will regretfully lead us to file lawsuits and pursue available legal actions against it, which may go as far as requesting the Lebanese judiciary to close its offices in Beirut and suspend its operations in Lebanon."
