Date: Jun 19, 2018 Source: The Daily Star FPM calls for national stance on refugees Naturalization decree to lose 50 names: report BEIRUT: The Free Patriotic Movement’s parliamentary bloc Tuesday reiterated its stance in favor of the return of Syrian refugees to their country. “We affirmed that we want a safe and gradual return of Syrian refugees to their homeland,” MP George Atallah told reporters after meeting Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai. Atallah, speaking on behalf of the Strong Lebanon bloc, added: “There are misconceptions about our position on the return of the Syrian refugees to their homeland, but we will not back down from it and will work to unify a national stance to confront the international community and to save Lebanon.” The FPM has received backlash for speaking against the approach of the international community and the United Nations refugee agency to the refugee crisis in Lebanon. FPM leader and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil recently ordered a freeze on residency permits for staff of the UNHCR until further notice. He cited the lack of a proper plan to work towards returning the refugees, accusing the U.N. agency of “scaring” refugees out of returning. Naturalization decree to lose 50 names: report BEIRUT: Around 50 individuals granted Lebanese nationality in the controversial naturalization decree are to be stripped of their newly awarded citizenship, a local daily reported Tuesday. The report in Al-Joumhouria said that the names of these individuals would be removed from the recent decree for “legal reasons” and “other reasons” that invalidate their eligibility for the Lebanese nationality. General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said Sunday that his agency would finish vetting the individuals named in the decree this week. President Michel Aoun had tasked General Security with checking the list of candidates selected to obtain Lebanese citizenship after the decree sparked outcry across the country. The decree was signed by Aoun, the prime minister and interior minister in May and grants Lebanese citizenship to over 400 people, representing 20 different nationalities. The decree was published in full on June 7, some weeks after its unpublicized endorsement. Roughly 110 of those naturalized were of Palestinian origin, while 100 were Syrian nationals. While the decree is not in violation of the Constitution, the secretive manner of its passage and its timing have sparked backlash.