Lebanon blocks UN residency permits over refugee spat
beirut — Lebanon has accused the United Nations refugee agency of intimidating refugees to prevent their return to Syria and on Friday blocked residency applications for the agency’s staff.
“Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Gebran Bassil issued instructions... to stop the requests for residency presented to the ministry and (those already submitted) for the UNHCR in Lebanon until further notice,” a statement said.
“Bassil asked for the study of other progressive measures... in the case that the UNHCR is determined to pursue the same policy,” it said.
Bassil late on Thursday warned his country would start taking measures against the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees over allegations the agency was preventing Syrian refugees from returning home.
“We sent a mission that verified that the UNHCR is intimidating the displaced who wish to return voluntarily,” he tweeted.
A UNHCR spokesperson responded by denying that the agency’s staff were discouraging refugees from considering a return.
“We do not discourage or oppose returns taking place based on an individual decision,” William Spindler told reporters.
“But in our view, conditions in Syria are not yet conducive for an assisted return, although the situation is changing and we are following closely,” he said. —