Change and Reform Lauds Salam's Stance on Refugees, Sees 'Promising Signs' on Presidency

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The Change and Reform parliamentary bloc on Tuesday lauded the stance that voiced by Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Arab Summit, where he called for creating safe areas for the refugees inside Syria and setting up an Arab fund aimed at helping the host nations.

“During the Nouakchott summit, PM Tammam Salam mentioned safe zones inside Syria and we are awaiting the crystallization of this advanced stance,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting in Rabieh.

“There is a need to coordinate with Syria's authorities, in cooperation with the United Nations, especially in light of the latest U.N. Presidential Statement,” Change and Reform added.

The bloc has been vocal in warning of any attempt to naturalize the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and it has repeatedly called for a stricter control of their gatherings and movement across the border.

Lebanon hosts more than one million Syrian refugees -- roughly a quarter of its population -- and has regularly been praised for opening its borders to those fleeing the brutal conflict in its neighbor.

But the refugee influx has strained resources and tempers, with some Lebanese viewing the years-long presence of Syrians as a burden, even an imposition.

Separately, Change and Reform noted Tuesday that “there is a course indicating that there is an attempt to internationalize the presidential solution in Lebanon.”

“We do not want that to happen,” it added.

The bloc also said that there are “promising signs in this regard, despite some voices that are trying to poison the atmosphere in this file.”

It also called for “rising above personal interests” so that the Lebanese can “build the State.”

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri, who is close to Saudi Arabia, launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid argue that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.

Comments 4
Thumb EagleDawn over 7 years

Change and Reform bloc: We do not want an “internationalization” of the presidential vote.

so get yourselves to parliament tomorrow and elect your own candidate. Fools

Thumb liberty over 7 years

It is KSA's fault for holding back the patriotic fpm from going to parliament.

Thumb popeye over 7 years

it is flamethrower and his twin the_roar

Thumb shab over 7 years

We also need Palestinian camps inside Syria. Time for the guests to leave, the party is over. We are in dire need of parking spaces.