The General Coordinator of the National Campaign to Repatriate Displaced Syrians, Maroun Al-Khauli, praised “the position of the Cypriot authorities, member of the European Union, in requesting that the condition of Syria be reviewed by ending its status as an unsafe country to which refugees cannot be returned.” He said: ‘We express our deep dissatisfaction with the European position towards the serious humanitarian crisis facing Syrian refugees in countries neighboring Syria. We renew our appreciation and gratitude for the courageous stance of the Cypriot authorities.’ Al-Khauli continued, “We strongly deplore the Lebanese government’s failure to follow this noble Cypriot position, and we call on the European Union to urgently re-evaluate the situation in Syria, as some areas there are considered safe…We must take into account Lebanon’s interests and deal wisely with neighboring countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Iraq.’ He considered that the current European position on Syrian refugees and displaced p
eople in neighboring countries represents a “huge disappointment” and “conflicts with the values of international relations and respect for the sovereignty and interests of states.” “This position threatens all historical relations based on respect for the will of states and their peoples,” he asserted, calling on the Europeans to “reconsider their position and stand by justice in regards to the standards for receiving displaced Syrians in Lebanon, which exceed half of its population, while in their countries it does not exceed 0.20%.”
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon