BEIRUT: Syrians seeking refuge in Lebanon should return to their country where many areas remain free from violence, Syria’s ambassador to Beirut Ali Abdel-Karim Ali said over the weekend.

“All Syrians in this dear country [Lebanon] and other countries should cooperate with their embassies and government to return home,” Ali said Saturday after a meeting with the head of Lebanon’s Parliament, Speaker Nabih Berri.

“The refugees returning to Syria realize that their country is the safest place for them,” he added.

Over 223,000 Syrians have so far sought refuge in Lebanon as a result of the conflict in their home country, according to Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour, with newcomers arriving on a daily basis.

Many Syrian areas, Ali said Saturday, enjoyed stability and security.

He added that the government in Damascus was helping those displaced inside Syria and providing them with services.

“There are large areas in Syria that enjoy security and stability and the Syrians are realizing day after day that their country embraces them more than anywhere else,” he told reporters.

According to the ambassador, an “international and systematic plot” is behind Syria’s troubles with the aim of weakening the Arab country and its role in the region.

“Unfortunately, it is no longer a secret that the terrorist acts carried out in Syria are funded by some neighboring and regional countries, along with the U.S. administration and some European countries,” he said.