A two-day conference on the return of refugees kicks off in Damascus Wednesday amid a large Russian presence but a broad international and regional boycott.
Before attending the conference in the Syrian capital, a prominent Russian delegation visited Lebanon Tuesday to hold talks with Lebanese officials.
Moscow will participate in the event through the foreign and defense ministries and a delegation that represents 35 institutions, including Russian envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrantiev.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to deliver a statement via videoconference explaining his country’s position on the post-war arrangements in Syria.
The conference will include roundtable discussions that involve providing assistance to the returnees, repairing the social infrastructure, presenting international aid and discussing means to confront the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister Ayman Sousan said Tuesday an invitation had been sent to all the countries to participate in the conference, except Turkey.
“It is not possible to hope for any positive matter from (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan’s regime, the first supporter of terrorist organizations in Syria,” said Sousan.
He said some countries have been under pressure to discourage them from participating in the conference.
Sousan added that China, Russia, Iran, Lebanon, UAE, Pakistan and the Sultanate of Oman are among the states, which will participate in the conference.
The Lebanese government sent caretaker Minister of Social Affairs and Tourism Ramzi Musharrafieh to Damascus at the head of Lebanon’s delegation.
Senior aide to the Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Asghar Khaji met Tuesday in Damascus with President Bashar Assad and briefed him on the vision of his country regarding the conference and its willingness to offer any support that could contribute to its success and solving the humanitarian problem.
The two sides exchanged views on a number of issues of political concern, including the Astana talks on Syria and the discussions of the Constitutional Committee.
Several countries, including Canada, have expressed their rejection to participate in the Damascus conference.
The European Union said Tuesday that it will not take part in the event, insisting that the first priority should be to make it safe for people to go back to the conflict-ravaged country.
The Syrian Association for the Rights of Refugees categorically rejected the conference.
“We assure that all calls for holding the conference are dubious invitations to give legitimacy to the terrorist Assad regime,” it said in a statement.
