Diplomatic tensions between Nicosia and Beirut due to the influx of Syrian refugees into Cyprus

During an interview with the Lebanese Prime Minister, President Nikos Christodoulides said that Lebanon should not “

export its migration problem

”. Nagib Mikati, for his part, called on the European Union to “

understand

” the Lebanese situation concerning Syrian migrants.

Migrants in Paralimni, April 5, 2024. REUTERS - Yiannis Kourtoglou

By: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

Paul Khalifeh

Since the start of the year,

2,000 migrants

, the majority Syrian, have landed illegally in

Cyprus

after a 10-hour sea crossing. The trip is often made in unsafe conditions for $3,000 per person.

For the same period last year, there were only 78, which shows the scale of the phenomenon facing Cyprus. This past week, at least 600 Syrians from

Lebanon

arrived on the island, thanks to good weather.

Put pressure on the EU

Nicosia accuses Beirut of laxity in the fight against illegal immigration. During an interview with the Cypriot president, Lebanese Prime Minister Nagib Mikati assured that Beirut “

strives to control, to the best of its capabilities, its maritime border

”. He urged the Cypriot president to “

put pressure

” on the European Union in order to facilitate the expulsions of illegally displaced persons to Syria.

Nearly 800,000 Syrian refugees are registered with the United Nations in Lebanon. Their real number would be one and a half million, according to the Lebanese authorities, or 1/5th of the population. The international community refuses to support a Lebanese plan aimed at organizing the return of refugees and displaced people before a political solution to the Syrian conflict.

Also read: In Lebanon, poverty pushes entire families to leave by sea for Cyprus or Italy

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Continue reading on the same themes:

  • Lebanon

  • Cyprus

  • Diplomacy

  • Refugees

  • Syria

  • European Union