Beiruting News

David Cameron has visited a Lebanese refugee camp amid the crisis triggered by war in neighbouring Syria.

Mr Cameron, who is making his first visit to Lebanon as prime minister, met a family in a camp in the Bekaa Valley who are due to be flown to the UK.

He said: "I wanted to come here to see for myself and to hear for myself stories of refugees."

The UK will accept up to 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years, Mr Cameron told MPs earlier this month.

He has appointed Richard Harrington as minister for Syrian refugees to ensure the arrivals are given a "warm welcome" in the UK.

The prime minister's visit comes as European Union interior ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss plans to spread 160,000 asylum seekers across 23 EU states through mandatory quotas.

Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to attend and oppose plans for an EU-wide quota system for refugees.

BBC