Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Friday met with a delegation representing the families of 11 Lebanese visitors abducted in Syria on May 22, in the presence of Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour and MPs Ali Ammar and Ghazi Zoaiter.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Friday met with a delegation representing the families of 11 Lebanese visitors abducted in Syria on May 22, in the presence of Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour and MPs Ali Ammar and Ghazi Zoaiter.

After the meeting, Ammar said “PM Miqati and Minister Mansour briefed us about their contacts and discussions with Turkish authorities concerning the case of the Lebanese abductees in Syria.”

“The prime minister reassured us that efforts are being exerted away from the media spotlight in a bid to ensure the safety of the abductees and their return to Lebanon,” Ammar added.

The lawmaker urged the media “to take into consideration the psychological situation of the families who are suffering from” inflammatory media reports, stressing that “the Turkish side is still exerting efforts” to secure the release of the visitors.

“This is a national cause par excellence and not a factional or sectarian cause, thus the government holds the full responsibility of their release,” Ammar added.

Miqati also received US Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly where they both discussed the general situation.

The PM later met with the Minister of Energy and Water Gebran Bassil and discussed with him the latest developments.

In another context, Miqati had a call with former PM Omar Karami “on the anniversary of Prime Minister Rashid Karami’s martyrdom,” recalling “his leading national stances.”

“We remember his national and patriotic stances engraved in the souls and hearts of the Lebanese,” a statement of Miqati’s office read.

The 11 Lebanese men were kidnapped in Syria’s Aleppo near the Turkish border while on their way home from visiting the holy shrines in Iran.