Such actions with obvious political purposes are aimed at hindering the return of the displaced, most of whom want to return, which contradict the purposes of the UN Charter and the national interest of the Syrian state, the Foreign Minister said in his address to a joint Syrian-Russian meeting held in Damascus.

He revealed that such intentions were confirmed during the so-called Fifth Brussels Conference on Syria held last March without the participation of the Syrian government and without even consulting Damascus.

Huge budgets were allocated by the participants in this event to the governments of the countries hosting the refugees with the single goal of obstructing their return or resettlement in those countries, the head of the Syrian diplomacy explained.

He referred to the intensive governmental work being carried out with very limited resources to facilitate the return of the displaced and create appropriate conditions for their lives in cooperation with friendly countries such as Russia, Iran and China, in addition to the United Nations and international non-governmental organizations.

He described as catastrophic the repercussions of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria and its people by Western countries and the continued occupation of the Levantine nation’s land, including the theft and plunder by the United States and its allies of oil, gas, wheat, water and historical heritage.

The day before, Syria’s Acting Minister of Municipal Administration Hussein Makhlouf revealed that about five million internally and externally displaced persons returned home voluntarily and safely, and attributed this figure to the improved security situation and the government’s continued efforts to ensure services and a dignified life for the returnees.

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