JOINT STATEMENT Interagency Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation and the Syrian Arab Republic "On the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons return to places of their residence"

Russian and Syrian interagency coordination headquarters continue to make significant efforts to restore peaceful life in the country and provide comprehensive assistance to Syrian citizens in voluntary and safe return to their homeland.

For today as а result of joint activities 2,159,140 Syrian citizens returned to the places of their chosen residence. The Syrian government continues to take all possible measures to create decent living conditions, new jobs, and restore the country's infrastructure and social facilities for early adaptation of returning refugees and IDPs. At the same time, special attention is paid for the implementation of а complex of anti-epidemic measures. The identification process of citizens with disease symptoms and their subsequent placement under medical supervision is ongoing. In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in all provinces а program to disinfect public places, city streets and passenger transport is launched. Watering machines with antibacterial solutions are used for this. Disinfection of markets, catering plants and socially significant facilities is carried out on ongoing basis.

At the same time, the United States and its allies, cynically declaring on their commitment to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, based on the sovereign right of the Syrian people to decide their own destiny independently, continue to pursue an illegal sanctions policy against Syria. The economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies have а negative impact, primarily on the position of ordinary Syrians.

Pursuing only their own political goals, Western countries continue to destabilize the situation іn the country and discredit the current government using the capabilities of controlled non-governmental organizations, for which impressive financial resources are allocated.

The total amount allocated by Western countries to finance the activities of "White Helmets” non-governmental organization in Syria, amounted to about 100 million euros. Most of them were spent for the organization of staged plots in order to discredit the Syrian government among international society.

In this regard, we draw attention to the article of one of the leading Dutch publications “Folkscrant”, which provides concrete evidence of the White Helmets leadership’s financial fraud, which are covered by the West countries, hiding the tжe face of so-called "disinterested rescuers" fr om taxpayers in their countries.
There is an increase in the йow of returning Syrian citizens across the Syrian-Lebanese border against the backdrop of negative trends in the Lebanon socio-economic sphere. Since the beginning of the initiative to return refugees from Lebanese territory, 199,745 people have already returned.

At the same time, the actions of international humanitarian and human rights organizations are aimed at keeping refugees on the territory of countries neighboring with Syria, particularly in Lebanon. We draw the attention of the international society to the fact that all of Lebanon's resources are currently aimed at eliminating the consequences of the explosion in the Beirut seaport, which significantly reduces the state's ability to meet the needs of the Syrian refugees in the country.

One of the most serious concerns for today is the situation in north-eastern Syria, wh ere the illegal presence of the United States and its allies in the international anti-terrorist coalition on the territory of а sovereign Syrian state leads to the plundering of natural resources of the Syrian Arab Republic and fomenting hotbeds of tension in the region. The conclusion of the agreements on cooperation in the field of oil production and sale between the American oil company "Delta Crescent Energy" and the illegal armed groups in north-eastern part of Syria is а vivid example of this.

The deal ignores international law, violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, serves as а front to finance US-controlled terrorist enclaves, and continues Washington's criminal policies to thwart Damascus' efforts on post-conflict reconstruction of the legitimate power and entity of the country. Please note that such actions are illegitimate and illegal.
The United States continues to ignore the needs of the civilian population living in refugee camps located on US-controlled territories.

Unsatisfactory living conditions and lack of progress on the return of camp inmates in places of permanent residence provoke an increase of social tension. This is also evidenced by the sharp increase in the number of riots and attempts to escape among the inhabitants of the camps in the North-East of Syria.

The lack of positive dynamics is especially alarming in solving humanitarian problems in the largest refugee camp "Al-Hawl", located in the illegally US-occupied territory in Haseke province. Due to the radicalization of the population, who have been forced to stay there for а long time in conditions of an acute shortage of drinking water and food, lack of qualified medical care, as well as the prospects for education and employment, clashes for access to basic social services haтe become more frequent in the camp.

Evidence suggests that responsibility for the humanitarian catastrophe in Euphrates area lies entirely at the international coalition led by the United States. We believe that the delay in solving the problems of refugee camps by the American side is steadily leading to further radicalization their population. The only solution to stabilize the situation in the region is the earliest possible return of these territories under country's legitimate authorities control and the withdrawal of foreign military contingents from Syria.


Head of the Interagency Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation on returning of refugees to the Syrian Arab Republic - Chief of the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation

М.Mizintsev

Head of the Interagency Coordination Headquarters of Syria on returning of refugees to the Syrian Arab Republic - Minister of Municipal Administration and Ecology of the Ѕуrіаn Arab Republic

Н.Mahlouf