Russian Foreign Ministry is closely working with the United States on withdrawal of refugees from the Syrian Rukban camp to the territory controlled by the Syrian government, Nikolai Burtsev, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a meeting of interdepartmental headquarters of Russia and Syria on the return of refugees.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2018) The Russian Foreign Ministry is closely working with the United States on withdrawal of refugees from the Syrian Rukban camp to the territory controlled by the Syrian government, Nikolai Burtsev, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a meeting of interdepartmental headquarters of Russia and Syria on the return of refugees.
"The US side proposes to resolve the problem of Rukban through the evacuation of refugees in the territory controlled by the Syrian government. Details of the possible operation have not been coordinated yet. We will continue to work closely with the United States to resolve this issue," Burtsev said.
According to Burtsev, preparations are also underway for providing access to UN humanitarian convoys from the territory controlled by the Syrian government, which informed the Russian embassy in Damascus about agreement to authorize the convoy's passage.
"The Jordanians link the final solution to the camp problem with the opening of the Nasib border crossing on the Syrian border and providing full freedom for the mass return of Syrian refugees. The Jordanian side calls for starting with providing [camp] residents with all kinds of humanitarian assistance from the Syrian side," the representative added.
The Rukban refugee camp is located in Syria's At Tanf district (Homs province) near the Jordanian border, next to a US military base where Syrian opposition forces are being trained. The situation in the camp has long been critical due to US troops resisting attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to the refugees, and the presence of Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia) militants in the area.
Burtsev added that the Russian Foreign Ministry has focused on negotiations with the leadership of countries hosting the biggest number Syrian refugees Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan for return to their homeland.
"Russian diplomatic institutions and missions continue to work actively to mobilize international efforts to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. The work is focused is on collaboration with the leadership of the countries hosting the largest number of refugees Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan," the diplomat said.
According to him, representatives of the Russian embassy in Beirut have learned from the Lebanese leadership about a decision to form the Lebanese part of the operational headquarters for relocation of refugees to Syria, which will include representatives of the government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Defense.
Syria has been devastated by years of violent civil war which had prompted millions of people to flee hostilities from the areas where they lived to other locations in Syria and outside the country. The international community has taken efforts to settle the conflict by conducting political settlement talks in Geneva and reconciliation negotiations in Astana.
