Al-Miqdad: The return of displaced Syrians is a priority of the state

Damascus, (ST) – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal al-Miqdad emphasized that the externally supported terrorism, economic blockade and Western coercive measures imposed on Syria are the main causes of human suffering for Syrians and their internal and external displacement, stressing that the return of all displaced Syrians abroad to their country is a priority of the state.

Al-Miqdad explained in the third plenary session entitled “Obstacles to the Return of the Displaced” within the International Conference on the Return of Refugees, held at the Conference Palace in Damascus, that the takfiri terrorism in Syria that is supported from abroad, especially by the Turkish and American regimes and the Israeli occupation entity is the most important main factor causing human suffering and the displacement of Syrians inside and outside the country.

Al-Miqdad indicated that what exacerbated this suffering and hindered the government’s efforts to facilitate the return of the displaced was the spread of the Corona epidemic, and the imposition of Western coercive measures that affect the Syrian economy and its vital sectors.

Al-Miqdad pointed out that the return of the displaced Syrians faces serious and systematic obstacles based on the desire to obtain financial aid and the mirage of resettlement in Western countries and on the basis of intimidation that their return to their homeland has risks to their lives, freedoms and property which many anti-Syrian countries have enshrined.

Al-Miqdad stressed that lifting unilateral coercive measures that affect all vital sectors in Syria to secure adequate conditions for the return of refugees to their areas, rehabilitate them and provide services, is one of the basic requirements to facilitate the return of refugees, especially in light of the serious challenges imposed by the Corona epidemic. He explained that, Syria cooperated with the relevant international organizations, especially the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for decades, although Syria is not a state party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it facilitated the success of the work of these organizations on its territory, especially in relation to the refugees on its territories. 

Al-Miqdad said that Syria’s efforts are still clashing with political agendas that manipulate the human suffering of the Syrians and with practices that threaten Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Al-Miqdad renewed Syria’s call to the United Nations , to play a positive role in supporting the efforts for the return of the displaced and to contribute to overcoming the obstacles to achieving this goal by mobilizing more financial resources and working with all concerned international parties to lift unilateral coercive measures that also severely affect the work ofhumanitarian agencies in Syria. 

He indicated that, most of the refugees want to return to their country, but some countries politicize this file by tightening their coercive economic measures against Syria and its people and children in order to force them to leave Syria, and these countries want in fact more refugees not the return of these refugees to their homeland.

Al-Miqdad stressed that Syria, with the help of Russia and friendly countries will spare no effort to help the displaced to come back to their homeland and provide them with basic necessities of life despite the conditions of economic terrorism that Syria and its people suffer from.

Raghda Sawas