Abou Faour rebuffs Syrian ambassador's accusations

Minister of Social Affairs, Wael Abou Faour, denied in a press conference Wednesday claims of Syrian embassy of blackmail of displaced Syrians in Lebanon for the sake of "private agendas," and added that the accusation was against both the Ministry and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Earlier in December, Syrian ambassador Ali Abed el Karim Ali sent a formal letter to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry stating that numerous Syrian citizens complained that certain extreme Salafist Lebanese and non-Lebanese parties were blackmailing them into pronouncing their animosity towards the Syrian regime in return of humanitarian aid through UNHCR. "The assignment given to the Ministry of Social Affairs was only to prepare a relief plan integral to the work of ministries of Health and Education as well as UNHCR," explained Abou Faour. "A plan was adopted by the ministerial committee in charge which has hence raised the matter at a donors' meeting upon which Lebanon asked for funds." The Minister asserted that the work done for Syrian and Palestinian refugees was non-political in nature, but rather of humanitarian dimension which did not serve any hidden agenda. "Not a single dime goes into the Ministry of Social Affairs, and all aid is delivered immediately to UNHCR or UNICEF or World Food Program, UNRWA and other concerned ministries." Abou Faour plans to send a formal letter addressed to Lebanese Foreign Minister, Adnan Mansour, concerning this matter.