BEIRUT, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Friday that Lebanon may not continue to host displaced Syrians if Europe fails to adopt a clear roadmap for returning them to their homeland.
"We've been hosting refugees for nearly 11 years while the Europeans still do not have a clear roadmap to end this crisis," Bou Habib was quoted as saying in a presidential statement, which was issued after he briefed the president on his recent visits to Washington, New York and Brussels.
The minister said Lebanon can no longer tolerate the presence of massive displaced Syrians on its territories which have weighed heavily on the country's economy and society.
"All we want from international organizations is to stop paying refugees in Lebanon while assisting them upon their return to their homeland," he added.
Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with a government estimate of 1.5 million Syrian refugees.
The country is suffering a steep financial crisis that has plunged more than 74 percent of the population into poverty. ■
