During video conferences with Assad, Putin urges Syrian refugees to return

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, via video, about the evolution of the situation in Syria, during which he stated that Moscow “will continue to make active efforts” to support a settlement. “long term” in Syria, and called on millions of Syrian refugees to return to their country and participate in the return. Rebuild it.

Putin stressed the importance of ensuring the return of Syrian refugees to his country. “There are more than 6.5 million refugees outside Syria, most of them are citizens who can work and can participate in the reconstruction of their country,” he said.

Russia Today TV reported that Putin assured Assad during the call that “the focus of international terrorism in Syria has been practically eliminated,” pointing to the possibility of the massive return of refugees to the country. He also highlighted the need for this return process to be carried out “naturally and without coercion.”

Putin also suggested discussing the details of the procedures related to the organization of the next international conference on the return of refugees to be held next month in Damascus, noting that Russia supports this conference and that the Russian delegation will include more than 30 specialists and experts from various ministries.

The Russian president added that “the work that Russia is doing with Iran and Turkey for the sake of a settlement in Syria has proven its effectiveness, since a focus of international terrorism has been practically eliminated in the country.”

Al-Assad considers the blockade to be the main obstacle to the return of Syrian (European) refugees

Assad complains about the blockade

For his part, Al-Assad told his Russian counterpart that the return of refugees who left the country due to the conflict in Syria is a “priority” in the next stage.

Al-Assad considered that “the greatest obstacle to the return of the refugees, in addition to the survival of terrorism in some areas to which they are supposed to return, is the siege of Syria”, referring to the sanctions imposed by the countries Westerners to their country, led by the United States.

Al-Assad expressed his hopes in Russian efforts for “the possibility of easing, lifting or eliminating this blockade”, explaining that the return of the refugees “needs to ensure the basic necessities necessary for their livelihood, such as water, electricity and schools, besides the question of moving the economy. “

Damascus, with the support of Russia, is organizing a conference on the return of refugees to their country. The parties involved in it have not yet been clear. However, neighboring Lebanon, which is home to around 1.5 million refugees, according to official estimates, will send a representative to the Minister of Social Affairs of the interim government, Ramzi Musharraf.

It is noteworthy that the ongoing Syrian conflict since March 2011 has caused the displacement and displacement of more than half of the population within and outside the country, including more than 5 million and 500 thousand refugees registered with the High Commissioner of the United Nations for Refugees who have fled mainly to neighboring countries.

Russia, Damascus’s most prominent ally, has for years been seeking the support of the international community to start the reconstruction phase and the return of refugees, while donors link the provision of any aid with the political solution of the conflict.

Human rights organizations warn, in turn, that the cessation of battles in several areas of Syria does not mean that they are now prepared for the return of refugees due to the lack of infrastructure and services and the fear of human rights violations.