Russia Urges EU to Create Conditions for Syrian Refugees’ Return

MOSCOW – Russia is confident that it is impossible to achieve a lasting settlement in Syria without solving the problem of Syrian refugees’ return, the EU should facilitate this process, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told TASS.

“This issue continues to be topical. We talk to everyone without exception, not only to Europeans but other countries too, which can play a role in that matter. Of course, it is impossible to achieve a lasting settlement in Syria without solving the problem of refugees’ return,” he stressed.

 “We would like to think that Europeans who seek to relieve the migration pressure are interested in that. This can only be achieved by helping to create conditions for refugees’ return,” the senior diplomat noted.

According to Grushko, Brussels should address the issue of restoring the entire territory of Syria rather than its parts. “The EU makes a huge mistake by saying that plans to rebuild Syria will be carried out only on those territories, which are controlled by the “opposition”. This is the wrong approach,” he pointed out. “We are certain that there should be no exceptions here. We should talk about Syria as an integral state and solve problems in such a manner.”

R.S