An Australian parliamentary delegation met with Berri and Derbas 20/11/2014 (Translation of this article appears in Arabic section) Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met in Beirut, with an Australian parliamentary delegation headed by federal MP Philip Ruddock, in the presence of David Windsor the Australian Chargé d'Affaires and Ali Hamdan the media adviser. The talks dealt with the developments in Lebanon, the region, and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. The delegation also visited Rashid Derbas, the Minister of Social Affairs, and discussed with him the situation, the issue of Syrian refugees and the efforts of the ministry to contain the crisis of massive displacement and Lebanon's need to the international support in this regard. The delegation visited also Bishop Issam Darwish the archbishop of the Melkite Catholic diocese of Zahle and Ferzul, in the Church of Our Lady of Deliverance - Zahle. Darwish urged Australia not to encourage refugees to immigration, calling to encourage them to return to their homes immediately after the situation restoration. Delegation meets Bassil Gebran Bassil Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants met in his office in the ministry, the Australian delegation. Following the meeting, Australian Philip Ruddock MP said: "We as a delegation from the Parliament of Australia are preparing a report on the difficulties faced by Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey in the face of the burdens of hosting Syrian refugees. We are aware of the size of the needs in each country and we are keen to understand all of these needs and ways to meet them and solve problems in the future. " |