Cyprus president asks EU Commission chief to get Lebanon to stop migrants from leaving its shores

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The president of Cyprus says he’s personally asked the head of the European Union’s executive arm to intercede with Lebanese authorities to stop boatloads of Syrian refugees from heading to the east Mediterranean island nation. President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters on Tuesday that Lebanon is the beneficiary of significant EU financial aid for both its own citizens and for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees it continues to host, but that doesn’t come without strings attached. Christodoulides said this aid “can’t be given while we’re having to deal with this issue.” In the last 48 hours, more than 350 migrants and asylum seekers, almost exclusively Syrian nationals, have reached Cyprus by boat.