By Nafez Qawas
PRAGUE: President Michel Sleiman
Thursday played down the consequences of the influx into Lebanon of Syrians
fleeing the violence in their country. He said the refugees can stay with their
relatives in Lebanon while the government and humanitarian organizations
provide them with relief aid.
Sleiman voiced hope that Arab
countries that witness popular revolts demanding democratic change can achieve
a transfer of power without extremism and violence. He spoke at a joint news
conference in Prague with his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus at the end of a
two-day official visit to the Czech Republic.
Sleiman said he held “deep and
useful” talks with Klaus on ways to strengthen and expand bilateral relations
in various fields.
“I also reviewed with him the most
important events and developments at the regional and international levels and
how to confront challenges arising from them, particularly with regard to the
historic transformations in the Arab world and the global financial crisis
whose negative repercussions both Lebanon and the Czech Republic have been able
to avoid,” he said.
Praising the Czech Republic for
moving from dictatorship to democracy, Sleiman said he and Klaus together
expressed hope that the Arab countries currently witnessing pro-democracy
protests would be able to achieve “a similar successful transition without
extremism and violence.”
Asked how Lebanon will deal with the
increasing number of Syrian refugees, Sleiman said: “Lebanon is bound with
Syria by very deep social ties. There are blood ties between the Lebanese and
Syrians. There are tens of thousands of Syrians who are working and residing in
Lebanon on a permanent basis.
“Therefore, the influx of some
Syrian families [into Lebanon] as a result of the turbulence in Syrian does not
constitute a major problem because they can stay with their relatives,” he
said. “Also, the Lebanese state and humanitarian organizations are providing
these families with aid. We are treating the Syrians who fled as families, as
relatives and not as refugees.”
According to the latest report by
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are 6,916 Syrians
currently registered as refugees in north Lebanon and the organization’s
officials say they are working hard to provide for all refugees who seek help
in the nation. But refugees and local activists say the figure represents a
portion of the reality.
For his part, Klaus said he held an
“open and very frank dialogue” with Sleiman, noting that there are many common
interests between the two countries. He stressed the need for Lebanon to remain
“a venue of dialogue between religions and cultures as it has always been.”
Sleiman and Klaus agreed during
their talks in Prague to boost bilateral ties in all fields, particularly in
the economic, trade, technical, cultural and investment spheres.
The two presidents discussed ways of
expanding these relations in the industrial, agricultural, energy,
communications and tourism fields and improving and encouraging investments
between the two countries.
They agreed to sign new cooperation agreements
and establish a partnership between the two countries, according to Baabda
Palace. Agreement was also reached on reviving the joint committee and setting
up other committees to follow up issues under discussion between Lebanon and
the Czech Republic.http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Mar-02/165250-sleiman-plays-down-impact-of-refugee-influx.ashx#axzz1nr6UypeJ
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