Lebanon agrees to take back migrants sailing to Cyprus, heighten coastal surveillance

Leban and Cyprus signed an agreement on Tuesday, October 6 as per which Lebanese authorities will take back migrants sailing Cypriot shores. As per reports, Interior Minister of Cyprus Nicos uris said that Lebanese and Cypriot police, with help of naval forces, would track any movement of migrant boats leaving Leban to reach Cyprus. uris ded that in case of any emergency situations, both nations would take help with coastal surveillance from bloc's border ncy, Frontex.

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Joint agreement between Leban and Cyprus

After talks with Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim, a senior official from Leban’s Interior Ministry, uris said, "We’re sending out a clear mess that we won’t tolerate anyone engaging in trafficking of human beings and that we’re defending interests of our two states". Both ministers came to an agreement concluding that all migrants trying to reach Cyprus by boat would be returned. 

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Ibrahim said, "Any person who leaves Leban, in accordance with deal reached with Cyprus, should be returned home in co-ordination between two countries". 

Over weeks, several migrants have sailed to Cyprus from Leban, cautioning Cypriot authorities that fear that island cant house any more handle migrants seeking asylum for ecomic reasons. 

Associated Press quoted Ibrahim saying, "Living conditions in Leban have become more difficult because of ecomic crisis that we are passing through, and this is what is maybe making se people migrate to nearby countries". He ded that many international ncies have come forward to laud Leban as it handled one million migrants residing in country. He furr ded that a major ecomic downturn and rapid inflation has forced many to flee country. 

uris said Cypriot government acted lawfully following EU directives sending back 200 migrants and refugees arriving from Leban. He said that all migrants were returned to Leban safely under a Cypriot police escort.

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Im/Inputs: AP