Syria expresses its appreciation for all of the efforts that Russia has contributed to resolving the long-standing crisis, including the refugee issue, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Salwa Abdullah told Sputnik, adding that the matter regarding displaced Syrians has been a cause of concern and the country should provide them with all needed means
DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News - 12th November, 2020) Syria expresses its appreciation for all of the efforts that Russia has contributed to resolving the long-standing crisis, including the refugee issue, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Salwa Abdullah told Sputnik, adding that the matter regarding displaced Syrians has been a cause of concern and the country should provide them with all needed means.
An international conference on the repatriation of Syrian refugees opened in Damascus on Wednesday. The event is set to bring together delegations from 27 countries and 12 international organizations. The United Nations acts as an observer. However, the United States and the European Union have abstained from the event.
"Russia has stood with the Syrian people since 2015, causing a shift in the balance of this battle, and - for this reason - Russia is currently following up on what it has started to face the conspiracy against Syria, and the return of refugees to their homeland is a continuation of that, so that they may contribute to the reconstruction of this country," Abdullah said.
The minister has praised Moscow's role in regard to the resolution of this issue, calling it positive and important.
"Russia's organization and support of this conference are appreciated, as well as the efforts that it has undertaken to implement this conference and make it possible, as it constitutes the first step and the first international call in the interest of Syrian refugees and their return to their homeland," Abdullah added.
The minister also noted that the return of each Syrian citizen has been "a core concern" of the state, and the latter should provide them with "all of the means and a supportive environment that would alleviate their suffering in asylum countries."
"We [are in] need [of] all of the refugees, who are subjected to pressure and will be exposed to similar pressure at a later stage when we agree to solve the problem of Syrian refugees who left Syria not voluntarily, but as a result of terrorism and intimidation and due to the war circumstances that Syria has been living through and the encouragement of malicious rumors intended to depopulate Syria," Abdullah said.
Due to the civil war in Syria, millions of the country's nationals fled to other places � mostly Europe � to save their lives. This created various humanitarian issues in different countries, including the questions of their subsequent repatriation to the war-torn country as the situation there becomes more stable.
