MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Hollande suggests Argentina could help Europe's refugee crisis by taking Syrian families
Hollande lauded Argentina's history of receiving immigrants, mentioning Syrians and Lebanese who arrived in the South American nation decades ago. 
Beginning the 20th century, Argentina took in thousands of Syrians and Lebanese, waves of immigrants that continued to come during times of turmoil in Middle East. 
Carlos Menem, who was Argentine president in 1989-1999, and is currently Senator, was born to Syrian parents. French President Francois Hollande suggested Wednesday that Argentina could take in some of the hundreds of thousands of Syrians fleeing civil war. The idea appeared to be an off-the-cuff comment during a news conference by Hollande and Argentine President Mauricio Macri after they met privately and signed agreements on issues ranging from fighting terrorism to increasing cultural exchanges.
Hollande lauded Argentina's history of receiving immigrants, mentioning Syrians and Lebanese who arrived in the South American nation decades ago.
Then, without referring to Argentina by name, he said through a translator that “we must make an effort wherever we are” to receive people in refugee camps in Jordan and Syria. With necessary controls implemented, refugees could be received in places with “existing communities from those countries that can help,” he added.
As Hollande spoke, Macri didn't make any notable facial expressions. The two leaders then left.
It wasn't clear if the two had discussed the issue privately or if Argentina was contemplating taking in some of the hundreds of thousands of Syrian's who have fled their country's civil war. Receiving refugees was not one of the agreements the two leaders mentioned.
Beginning in the early 20th century, Argentina took in thousands of Syrians and Lebanese, waves of immigrants that continued to come during times of turmoil in the Middle East. Carlos Menem, who was Argentine president in 1989-1999, was born to Syrian parents.
However, Argentina has not received many Syrian refugees in recent years. Since 2014, about 200 have come in under “Program Syria,” according to immigration authorities. The program gives humanitarian visas for two years and appears to have mostly been used by Syrians with relatives in Argentina.
Hollande plans to attend a ceremony Thursday paying tribute to victims of Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship. His agenda also includes a meeting with Estela de Carlotto, head of the human rights group Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
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Read all commentsAren't the British always trying to take credit for all the glories and gifts their Empire “accorded” to the world??
Feb 25th, 2016 - 07:30 am 0Yet, as I have always said and most people know, they want to wash their hands of the piles of stink that same Empire created.
Syria being one of the bigger ones.
Syria is not a nation, it never existed as a nation. There were Christians, Jews, Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, Alawites, Turks, and all kinds of other tribes there before the creation that Frankenstein state. So now that they whole thing finally blew up in tits, the British want to withdraw from the EU and tell the rest of the world they take the Syrians in, “we wash our hands”. Even though ultimately the problem was created by them.
God you're stupid.
Feb 25th, 2016 - 09:21 am 0Syrian “refugees”?
Feb 25th, 2016 - 10:34 am 0NO THANKS
We already know what those “refugees” actually are: rapits, criminals, former terrorists, current terrorists, terror recruiters, etc.
We already have enough criminals here (many of them illegal immigrants from our “brother” neighbor countries) , there´s no need to take more. Much less crazy muslim criminals. 2 terror attacks were enough.
ps: I believe in giving a hand to ACTUAL refugees, not in just opening your borders and letting anyone in because you are afraid of being called islamophobic or nazi. See what is going on in Europe. See how this “open borders” policy is ruining the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway, etc.
If Mr Hollande wants to send something, make sure it is investments, not some of the “refugees” that are ruining his continent.
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