Lebanese Foreign Minister Says Russia Can Help Solve Problem Of Syrian Refugees

Muhammad Irfan Published March 20, 2019 | 03:25 AM

BEIRUT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) Russia can help solve the problem of Syrian refugees and assist them in returning to their home country, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Tuesday.

"It is Syria that suffers most from the problem of refugees. Russia can help return them," Bassil said as quoted by LBC tv channel.

He pointed out that a certain part of Syrians hesitated to return to their home country due to fears.

"But there is also a different part [of Syrians] who do not come back [to Syria] due to the international aid that they receive here.

Therefore, we are speaking about a decent and safe return," Bassil stressed.

Lebanon, with its population of 4 million, has been hosting nearly 950,000 officially registered Syrian refugees, according to UN figures. Various other sources have suggested that, in reality, the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon could be as high as 1.5 million. The Lebanese authorities have repeatedly said that the influx of refugees had significantly damaged the country's economy and security and supported Russia's initiative to return Syrian refugees to the Arab republic.