"MOSCOW—Russia unveiled new efforts Wednesday to bring refugees back to Syria and called on the U.S. to help back its relocation efforts following a summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in which both leaders backed the goal.Russia has trumpeted details of its refugee return program, including the creation of new refugee centers, the use of civil boats to transport refugees from other countries around the Mediterranean Sea and small-scale building of homes and infrastructure in various parts of Syria"
Sounds terrific! I've long hoped for the return of Syrian refugees to their home land.And building them homes and infrastructure!? Beautiful.That said I am aware that the 5/6 Eyes nations NEVER wanted this to occur!
"But Russia’s effort to link refugee returns with reconstruction of the country’s infrastructure has created a thorny path for Washington if it participates in the project. Analysts say it would put the U.S. at odds with its allies and other organizations who are demanding a political solution in Syria before committing to any reconstruction efforts"
Hmmm, I thought Washington/US was all about humanitarianism and R2P..What's the problem with this plan, considering Washington's often stated agenda?
"The U.S. has yet to comment on the proposals sent by Moscow. Top U.S. military officials have said they aren’t yet changing the U.S. posture in Syria. In a briefing with reporters last week, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he was “considering” meeting with his Russian counterpart.
Both the European Union and the United Nations have refused any funds for reconstruction until a credible political solution is reached, drawing criticism from Moscow, a key backer of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad"
Oh, I see... so it's not about the right to return and actually helping Syrians get back home?Why, I'm shocked. Shocked I tell you!
“Assad is fine for the time being even without reconstruction as long as Russia and Iran are supporting him, but Russia sees reconstruction as necessary for long-term stability,” said Vladimir Frolov a former Soviet and Russian diplomat to the U.S. and now a foreign affairs columnist."
And reconstruction is absolutely necessary to the long term stabilization of the region! The US/UN and EU should take no issue with this. Unless ... they've been crying crocodile tears while pushing another agenda?Obviously that's been the case all along. It was obvious in 2011 and it's still obvious now.
“But through bringing the U.S. on board with the refugee program, Russia is trying to draw Washington into reconstruction which would essentially bypass any political solution,” he said.Russia changed the calculus of the Syrian conflict in 2015 when it intervened on the side of the Assad government. As Mr. Assad has regained swaths of the countryside, Russia has increasingly championed the idea of reconstruction for the country and turned to other countries to help foot the bill.
The Russian refugee relocation program is happening in tandem with the Syrian government, which is using the refugees and the strain they have been putting on neighboring countries as a bargaining chip to gain more aid and relief.Russia says around 20% of Syrian refugees claiming asylum abroad want to return to the country. Of the millions of refugees abroad, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says fewer than 100,000 have expressed a desire to return and successfully resettled in the last three years.
Russian Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev on Wednesday called on the U.S. to help move refugees from a deconfliction area in southern Syria co-controlled by the U.S. to regions controlled by the Syrian armed forces.Moscow’s invitation to the U.S. to work on the refugee relocation program as well as aspects of reconstruction was submitted to Washington following the Helsinki Summit between Russia and U.S."
All the Syrians that want to return to Syria should be able to go as is their right!Let's see if the US/UN and EU will actually care for civilians and displaced persons or if their going to continue to play politics with people's lives. Since it's my opinion that the UN is a thoroughly corrupted institution and the US and EU were always pushing another agenda- I expect there will be no cooperation to right this wrong.Additionally, Trump, who has never been anything other then a company man will do nothing to challenge the higher powers. Hope to be wrong....