-
.
- Ελληνικά
The aim of the upcoming visit to Lebanon is to discuss with the Lebanese authorities ways to increase the country's capacity to police its coastline more effectively and to intensify efforts to combat the trafficking rings operating in the country, Interior Minister Mr.
Asked to comment on the events of recent days with the large number of arrivals of Syrian nationals from Lebanon, Mr. Ioannou said that the results of the meetings that President Christodoulides will have with the President of the European Commission tomorrow and with the Lebanese authorities next Monday are expected. "There is planning and depending on the results, we will see how to proceed as the Republic of Cyprus," he said.
Responding to a question regarding what is expected from the upcoming trip to Lebanon, given the contacts that both he and the Foreign Minister had with officials of the country, the Interior Minister stressed that "since last summer we have expressed in public statements and letters to the EU that Lebanon should be supported financially, precisely because of the fact that there are more than two million Syrian refugees in its territories." Unfortunately, the Minister continued, since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas last October, the situation in Lebanon has also deteriorated due to economic problems and political instability in the country. This, he pointed out, has caused "a very large increase in the number of flows due also to the events in Gaza."
The aim of the visit to Lebanon is to strengthen bilateral relations and explore ways to reduce the flows by providing financial or technical assistance. "Our aim is, in cooperation with the Lebanese authorities, to see if ways can be found to increase Lebanon's capacity to police its coasts. Also for us, very important is the arrest of traffickers operating in Lebanon. It is a business now, unfortunately, with many millions in income for them. Cyprus, because of its proximity, is the easiest destination. We also have information that they are now advertising through the PMCs to travel to Cyprus. That is how blatantly this business is now being done. So we need to look at ways in which Lebanon can intensify efforts to arrest the traffickers operating in Lebanon itself," Ioannou said.
Asked to comment on practices followed by migrants when approached by the Port Police for assistance, as well as comments that no action is taken to prevent vessels from entering our country, the Interior Minister reiterated that the Republic of Cyprus faithfully observes its international and inter-state agreements on the management of vessels approaching its territorial waters. "Even with the suspicion that the boat will be prevented, they (the occupants) sink the boat and it automatically turns into a search and rescue operation. So there is no way and we cannot practically prevent it because the sea is not a border and no fence or anything else can be put up to prevent passage. If and when an attempt is made to prevent it, they sink the boats or we have witnessed in the past incidents where they throw children into the sea to force the Coast Guard to take them to land," the Interior Minister said.
Also commenting on reports that there are no returns of migrants to Lebanon, Ioannou recalled that during his visit to the country last summer, an informal agreement was made and three boats were returned. However, he continued, there was great opposition from the society itself in Lebanon because of the very large number of Syrians hosted in the country. Therefore, he explained, "there is now a refusal by Lebanon to accept boats back. However, let me recall that last February and despite Lebanon's refusal, we tried and sent a boat with the Coast Guard, under security conditions. Unfortunately, as soon as it arrived in Lebanese territorial waters we were refused entry, so it returned. So returns, without the agreement of the country - in this case Lebanon - are not possible and we cannot prevent the boats from coming for the reasons I mentioned."
Asked if there are thoughts of transferring the migrants who have already arrived in our country to other states, so that the accommodation centres can also be decongested, the Interior Minister explained that, due to the measures taken in the previous months, the examination of applications in the accommodation and reception centres is taking place at a very fast pace and therefore about 80-100 people are being released more quickly every day. With regard to relocations, the Minister noted that it was a long-standing request of the Republic of Cyprus that mandatory relocations of migrants to other Member States be carried out, which was not adopted in the EU Pact on Immigration and Asylum. He added that there is cooperation with some states such as Germany and France for voluntary relocations. "As far as returns are concerned, we are on a very good track. Last month more than 1,100 people have left in the last month. We are just concerned about the trend, and if it continues with daily arrivals, then there will be a management problem in terms of our infrastructure and human resources."
(MQI)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
Source
