Damascus-Sana
Dr. Faisal Al-Miqdad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, received Dr. Ramzi Musharrafia, Minister of Social Affairs and Tourism in the Lebanese caretaker government, and the accompanying delegation. The meeting dealt with ways to enhance cooperation for the return of all Syrian refugees to their homeland in a voluntary, safe and facilitated manner.
The two sides considered that this visit comes as a continuation of the cooperation between the Syrian and Lebanese sides to address the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, secure their voluntary return to their country, and create conditions that facilitate and encourage this return.
Minister Al-Miqdad explained that Syria welcomes the return of all refugees to their homeland and is taking all measures and facilities that help create conditions that ensure a safe return and good living conditions for the returnees, but some Western countries deal with this file in a politicized way, relying on misinformation and distorting facts and pressures on countries hosting refugees. .
For his part, Minister Musharrafieh indicated that the pressing conditions in which the countries of Lebanon and Syria are experiencing in light of the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic and the difficult economic conditions make this file a priority and expressed his hope for progress in this path, stressing that communication continues between the two sides until this is achieved.
The two sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to encourage refugees to return to their country, and to demand international organizations not to put any artificial obstacles to the safe and voluntary return of these refugees to their cities and villages in their country, Syria.
The meeting was attended from the Syrian side, Ambassador Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim, Syria’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Ziad Zahr al-Din, Director of the Arab Nation Administration, Dr. Abdullah Hallaq, Director of the Minister’s Office, and Ruaa Sharbaji from the minister's office, and from the Lebanese side, Jad Haidar, Hassan Kokash and Major General Jaber .
In a statement to reporters, Musharrafieh stated that work is underway at the present time to overcome all obstacles to the return of Syrian refugees. Efforts are also focused on persuading Western society to help the refugees to return.
Musharrafieh noted the Syrian government's willingness to return its citizens, pointing to the existence of a database of Syrians in Lebanon, and that there is full coordination between the two governments to ensure the safe return of Syrians, which secures their livelihood, including infrastructure, medicine and education.