Lebanese FM Gebran Bassil blames Syrian refugees for economic crisis

The Lebanese economy is on the verge of collapse due to the Syrian refugee crisis, caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil claimed Monday.

“The Syrian refugees are themselves demanding the acceleration of their return,” Bassil said in a joint news conference with Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation.

Bassil upheld his past tone in rejecting the resettlement of refugees in Lebanon. “Lebanon expresses its determination to fight any policy of keeping the refugees [here].”

He also commented that Lebanon had “regained its stability and internal security, thereby strengthening our independence and sovereignty.”

For her part, Kaag vowed that the Netherlands would “try its best to do more to help Lebanon in the [refugee challenge].” She also noted that the Netherlands is looking for ways to improve cooperation with Lebanon in various fields, in addition to aiming to strengthen and invest in the Lebanese economy.

“You have a close friend in the Netherlands,” Kaag told Bassil.