Report: Russian Delegation to Visit Beirut for Refugees Initiative Talks

Lebanon expects a Russian delegation in Beirut next week to follow up on the Russian initiative to repatriate the Syrian refugees back to their homeland, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday

The delegation will reportedly meet with Lebanon’s three senior leaders, said the daily.

According to media circles close to the delegation, the Russian members are familiar with the Syrian file and are also running negotiations with the Iranian party in that regard.

In 2018, Syria's ally Russia has put forward plans to the United States to cooperate for the safe return of refugees to Syria.

Moscow has proposed the establishment of working groups in Lebanon and Jordan, to where many refugees have fled.

Seven years into Syria's war, Lebanon hosts around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, compared with a local population of 4.5 million.

Over the past few months, several hundred Syrians have left Lebanon in operations organised by the governments of Beirut and Damascus.

Several thousand have also independently left in recent years.