25 Oct, Beirut: The future of Syrian refugees is not in Lebanon, but in their homeland, a top United Nations official said Tuesday.
“Lebanon was a very good host, but it is not considered a country for naturalization or mixing refugees with citizens, and the refugees’ future is not in Lebanon, but in their homeland” said Philippe Lazzarini, Lebanon’s UN humanitarian coordinator and resident representative of the United Nations Development Program.
The UN representative told Voice of Lebanon “after the Syrian crisis, we increased our help to Lebanon to be able to cope with the burden of the Syrian refugees.”
He said the international community is helping the Lebanese government and trying to help create jobs for Lebanese residents and a solution for a safe return of refugees.
On the division over who should be responsible for ensuring the return of refugees, Lazzarini said that “what we are hearing in terms of which side should discuss the safe return of refugees is a matter that concerns the Lebanese.”
He stressed that the UN’s primary goals in Lebanon are to “improve the country in the face of regional conflicts, maintain its stability and support the facilitation of parliamentary elections.” Xinhua
