Eichhorst Hails Salam's Expected Visit to EU: Lebanon Can Manage Refugees Crisis as it Sees Fit

European Union Ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst expected on Friday positive talks between Prime Minister Tammam Salam and European officials next week, stressing that the Lebanese state has the right to manage the Syrian refugees crisis as it wills.

She described the visit as the “first-of-its-kind” as Salam will be the first PM to meet with the new EU representatives.

The PM will travel on Monday to Brussels at the head of a delegation for talks with senior officials.

“The Europeans will be thrilled to hear from Salam the importance of keeping Lebanon on their agenda despite the ongoing developments in the region,” Eichhorst said in a meeting with reporters.

The diplomat pointed out that the EU officials will stress their keenness to fortify their political, economic and security ties with Lebanon and vow to provide the country with further aid, in particular regarding the Syrian refugees crisis.

She called on the Lebanese arch-foes to swiftly elect a new head of state, draft a new electoral law and focus on Lebanon's role in pushing forward the Arab peace initiative.

Eichhorst expressed optimism that the rival parties will start dialogue and elect a new president, who should resume the all-party talks once he assumes his responsibilities.

Asked about the Lebanese state's decision to reduce the number of refugees entering its territories, the official said that the “reduction should be made at stages.”

“Lebanon is enduring the highest burden by the refugees and it has the right to manage the crisis according to its own conditions as long as it abides by the international law.”

Lebanon has all but shut its frontiers to new refugees, allowing only humanitarian exceptions across, and the state is beyond its absorption capacities and urgently needs other countries to share its burden.

Lebanon had said it would ask the U.N. to stop registering refugees who enter the country from war-torn Syria, formalizing a decision to all but close its borders to them.

It already hosts more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, an enormous strain for a country with a population of just four million.

The influx has tested overstretched infrastructure and created fresh tensions.

Eichhorst pointed out that the concerned EU institutions will continue to cooperate with the Lebanese army and security agencies to confront the rising challenges.

H.K.

G.K.