BEIRUT. Feb 10 (Interfax) - Lebanese President Michel Aoun believes that Europe and the West will be the first to fall under the threat of terrorism if it proves successful in the Middle East, State Duma deputy Dmitry Sablin told journalists after a meeting with the Lebanese leader.
"The president said that, God forbid, if international terrorism wins in Syria, then the first to whom the threat will come are the European and Western civilizations. Terrorists are not stopping but developing farther and farther," the deputy said.
Aoun is also "worried by the mechanism of Syrian refugees' return," Sablin said.
"He said that if Christians leave the Middle East, then people would need tickets to walk into their churches and holy places, which is unacceptable," the parliamentarian said. To prevent such a scenario, the Lebanese leader aims to strengthen the economic situation in his country and in the Middle East, he said.
Sablin, along with other Duma deputies Sergei Gavrilov and Alexander Yushchenko, met with the president of Lebanon on Friday.
For his part, Gavrilov said that at the meeting Aoun passed warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill.
"Mr. Aoun expressed hope that he will be able to visit Moscow and meet with Putin and Patriarch Kirill," Gavrilov said.