EU praises Lebanon's hosting Syrian refugees

The UE praised lebanon''''s generosity in hosting Syrian refugees on Thursday, yet it expressed its concern over the effects it may have on lebanon''''s security. "The generosity of Lebanon by keeping its borders open is taking a huge toll on the security of the country as well as creating a huge burden on its people who are often sharing the hardships of their guests" said EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Kristalina Georgieva. "The Syria crisis has produced another tragic milestone with the number of refugees now sheltering in Lebanon passing the one million mark" she noted. It is very hard to witness the suffering of one million men, women, and children, she noted, adding that it is heartbreaking that over half of the refugees are children. Georgieva went on to say that these refugees are in great need for the EU assistance. Since the start of this conflict, the EU together with its Member States has contributed with more than 2.6 billion euro to respond to humanitarian and longer term needs for Syria. "Despite this funding, it is clear that the only sustainable solution for the millions affected by the crisis is a political one," she said. Georgeiva appealed to the international community to do everything possible to bring an end to this terrible war. Source: KUNA