Grandi Says Naturalization of Refugees in Lebanon Unlikely

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi ruled out on Wednesday that the Syrian refugees and Palestinians will be resettled in Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency said.

Grandi's comments came after a meeting he held with Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi in Geneva where he is taking part in the International Labor Conference.

After the meeting Qazzi quoted Grandi as saying: “The U.N. Commissioner ruled out a resettlement of Syrians and Palestinians in Lebanon. They only want to return back to their homeland.”

However, Qazzi said that he explained to Grandi that “there is no evidence of a possible return of Palestinians to their country and there are no indicators on the near end of the war in Syria or the success of international conferences on the Syrian crisis.”

Qazzi expressed fears that “what frightens the Lebanese is not just the resettlement of refugees, but their naturalization as a fait accompli as the result of walls blocking any solution for the Syrians and Palestinians.”

Grandi plans to visit Lebanon in the future phase “when the conditions allow introducing new plans to ease the burden of displaced Syrians in Lebanon.”

Lebanon is hosting more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees who fled the turmoil in their country.