Aoun Hinges on Putin’s Role in Return of Syrian Refugees

Lebanese President Michel Aoun meets Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Tuesday March 26, 2019, in Moscow (NNA)
Lebanese President Michel Aoun meets Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Tuesday March 26, 2019, in Moscow (NNA)
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Aoun Hinges on Putin’s Role in Return of Syrian Refugees

Lebanese President Michel Aoun meets Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Tuesday March 26, 2019, in Moscow (NNA)
Lebanese President Michel Aoun meets Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Tuesday March 26, 2019, in Moscow (NNA)

Lebanese President Michel Aoun asked Russia on Tuesday for assistance in facilitating the return of Syrian refugees.

"We maintain relations with the leadership of your country and with all representatives of political parties," Russian President Vladimir Putin told Aoun in Moscow, noting that this year marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, officials from the Lebanese presidency described Aoun’s two-day visit to Moscow as “excellent,” saying there was Russian consensus on supporting Lebanon and its regional role and stability.

The two leaders agreed to further strengthen and develop friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries, including measures to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees, a Kremlin statement said.

They expressed support to the process of political settlement in Syria and fight against terrorism in the war-torn country.

They also reiterated the importance of Russia's initiative in securing the return of refugees, including those displaced internally.

“Resolving this problem depends directly on ... improving Syria's social and economic conditions, through post-conflict reconstruction,” the Kremlin statement said.

Lebanon has taken in over 1 million refugees from Syria.

Aoun said Lebanon faces an economic fall-out from the Syrian crisis and expressed hope that Putin would help his country repatriate the Syrians.

The Lebanese President discussed the issue on Monday with Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of Russian Parliament.

"It is in the interest of Europe to resolve the Syrian refugee crisis because the dire economic situation in Lebanon will eventually lead refugees to seek other alternatives, and European countries will be their first destination,” Aoun said.



Damascus, Ankara Agree Natural Gas Deal for Syria

 A drone view shows the power plant in Aleppo, Syria, April 15, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the power plant in Aleppo, Syria, April 15, 2025. (Reuters)
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Damascus, Ankara Agree Natural Gas Deal for Syria

 A drone view shows the power plant in Aleppo, Syria, April 15, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the power plant in Aleppo, Syria, April 15, 2025. (Reuters)

Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir said Friday Damascus and Ankara had reached a deal for Türkiye to supply natural gas to the war-torn country via a pipeline in the north.

"I agreed with my Turkish counterpart Alparslan Bayraktar on supplying Syria with six million cubic meters of natural gas a day through the Kilis-Aleppo pipeline," Bashir said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

Kilis is near Türkiye’s border with Syria, which is north of the city of Aleppo.

The deal will "contribute to increasing the hours of electricity provision and improve the energy situation in Syria", Bashir added.

Syria's authorities, who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December, are seeking to rebuild the country's infrastructure and economy after almost 14 years of civil war.

The conflict badly damaged Syria's power infrastructure, leading to cuts that can last for more than 20 hours a day.

Bayraktar told the private CNN-Turk broadcaster late Thursday that "we will provide natural gas to Syria from Kilis within the next three months".

"This gas will be used in electricity generation at the natural gas power plant in Aleppo," he said, confirming an expected daily flow of six million cubic meters.

In March, Qatar said it had begun funding gas supplies to Syria from Jordan, in a move aimed at addressing electricity production shortages and improving infrastructure.

That announcement said the initiative was set to generate up to 400 megawatts of electricity daily in the first phase, with production capacity to gradually increase at the Deir Ali station southeast of Damascus.

Both Türkiye and Qatar have close ties with Syria's transitional government, and were the first two countries to reopen their embassies in Damascus after Assad's ouster.

Both have also urged the lifting of sanctions on Syria.

In January, Syria's electricity chief said two power ships were being sent from Türkiye and Qatar to increase supply after the United States eased sanctions, allowing fuel and electricity donations to Syria for six months.

Last month, Britain said it was lifting energy production sector sanctions, a move Damascus said would "directly contribute to improving" Syrians' living conditions.