The Syrian authorities at the ongoing international conference are likely to announce specific decisions on security guarantees and amnesties in order to depoliticize the process of refugee return and finally get it moving, Mahmoud Afandi, the secretary of the Syrian opposition movement Popular Diplomacy, told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2020) The Syrian authorities at the ongoing international conference are likely to announce specific decisions on security guarantees and amnesties in order to depoliticize the process of refugee return and finally get it moving, Mahmoud Afandi, the secretary of the Syrian opposition movement Popular Diplomacy, told Sputnik.
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.
"The main task now is to separate the refugees who fled from the war, from terrorism, and who would like to return to Syria, but are afraid, and those who left the country for political reasons. The first group makes up about 80% of refugees, the second - about 20. At this conference, the Syrian authorities will make specific decisions and voice specific security guarantees for those who want to return, but are afraid, that is for the first group - those who fled from the war and who did not commit serious crimes against the state," Afandi said.
"They will be given security guarantees, and those who have committed minor offenses (after all, leaving without a passport is also an offense) - amnesty will be announced for them so that they can return home. These decisions will finally launch the process of returning refugees, as well as depoliticize it," he continued.
According to the politician, the decisions regarding those who committed serious crimes against the state and fled for political reasons would be left to other venues, such as Geneva.
"Russia is likely to take on the role of facilitating the return of those who will be allowed to and who will be given guarantees and amnesties," Afandi told Sputnik.
Earlier on Thursday, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad said Syria did not understand what the West meant when it spoke of conditions unacceptable for refugee return. According to him, the Syrian leadership, together with partner countries and interested states, is creating conditions for unhindered and free return of refugees to their native land.
A number of Western states insist on not raising the issue of the refugee return before certain political decisions are made on the part of the Syrian government.
The civil war in Syria has forced millions of the country's nationals to flee to other places � mostly Europe � to save their lives. This has led to humanitarian problems in different countries, including in what concerns the refugees' subsequent repatriation to Syria as the situation there becomes more stable.
