Syrian-Russian Coordination Bodies joint meeting starts at the Conferences Palace in Damascus

Damascus, SANA- The Syrian-Russian Coordination Bodies joint meeting started on Thursday at the Conferences Palace in Damascus in framework of 5^th Meeting to follow up the International Conference on the Return of Syrian Refugees and Displaced.

Head of the Syrian Ministerial Coordination Body and Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Eng. Hussein Makhlouf, said “Syria continues the work to improve the living conditions of its citizens and encourage the displaced to return despite the escalated conspiracy of the West against it through coercive measures which were expanded to include the energy sector.

In his speech at the Meeting, Makhlouf added that the US occupation continues to systematically plunder Syria’s resources of oil, wheat and cotton and supports the terrorist groups and separatist militias, turning blind eye to the international laws and human values.

He stressed that the Turkish occupation continues in cutting off drinking water from the locals in Hasaka and looting large amounts of Syria’s share of the Euphrates water which negatively affect the food security, environment and the living of the citizens.

For his part, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Chairman of the Preparatory Committee, Dr. Ayman Susan, in his speech during the joint meeting said that the US spreads wars and fuels sedition to continue its hegemony on the international decision. Asserting that it supports the Nazis in Ukraine as it had supported the terrorists in Syria and many countries in the world.

The return of the Syrian displaced and refugees to their country is a fundamental necessity to rebuild what terrorism had destroyed, and Syria exploits all its potentials to create the appropriate conditions for their return, Susan went on to say.

He added that the west continues to obstruct Syria and its allies’ efforts or rebuilding and return of the displaced in order to continue exploiting their suffering to serve its agendas and crumbling project.

Alexander Lavrentiev, the special envoy for president Vladimir Putin of Russia, in turn, stressed that Russia highly appreciated Syria’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of its citizens who are still facing large difficulties in restoring stability and achieving sustainable development, adding that Russia will continue to support Syria to overcome the standing obstacles.

Lavrentiev said that the international community should adopt effective measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria and help carrying out early recovery projects, as the only way to solve the problems of Syrian refugees as soon as possible.

For his part, Russian Deputy Defense Minister General Mikhail Mizintsev in his speech via video said that the Western illegitimate sanctions imposed on Syria are the main reason for citizens’ suffering and hinder the return of the displaced and refugees.

Mizintsev added that following the defeat of terrorism in Syria, with Russia’s support, the top priority was the rebuilding, assisting the refugees and displaced to return home and improving the services in various sectors.

In turn, Head of Russian Ministerial Coordination Body, Head of the National Defense Administration Center, Colonel Oleg Gorshinin, stressed that Russia will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Syria to overcome its crisis and to preserve the development of the commercial and economic relations between the two countries.

Syria provides the necessary social support, medical care, and humanitarian assistance to the returnes despite of the difficulties resulted from the war and destructive policy of the US, Colonel Gorshinin added.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Faisal Al-Mikdad said, in his speech at the meeting, that Syria continues the work on ensuring the appropriate conditions for the return of the displaced and refugees, noting that “cooperation with Russia, in this domain, was a helpful factor in the return of large numbers.”

The west violates the rules of the international law and the UN charters which causes a lot of disturbance and instability in the world and left catastrophic repercussions on all the countries, among them the increase of the number of the refugees and displaced in different areas in the world, Mikdad pointed out.

He renewed that Syria is open to the return of all the refugees and displaced, since all concerned authorities work with full capacity to ensure their return.

 The Foreign Minister said that the efforts exerted by Syria and the friendly countries, in the humanitarian affair in general and the issue of return of the refugees in particular, are still impeded by some countries and bodies continued exploitation of the humanitarian file to achieve political goals that do not serve the interests of the Syrian people.

Mikdad said that the true keenness on helping Syrian people necessitates to stop supporting terrorism, end foreign occupation, lift coercive measures and stop plundering Syria’s resources, including oil and wheat by the US and its mercenaries.

Mikdad called upon the countries which are keen for the humanitarian affair and the UN agencies to exert further efforts in the frame of creating appropriate circumstances for the return of the refugees and displaced and support Syria’s efforts in this regard.

For his part, Assistant Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Yasser Ahmed stressed that the cooperation between Syria and Russia contributes to secure the return of the displaced to their homeland, adding that the relevant governmental and NGOs agencies spare extraordinary efforts to achieve this goal in light of the available resources.

Manar /Bushra/Hala Zain