"Wadephul said it was "in the understandable interest of the Syrian government to create the conditions for as many Syrians as possible to return". However, this was currently "only possible to a very limited extent, because a great deal of infrastructure in this country has been destroyed", he added. "Anyone who wants to return to Syria will be given a tearful send-off by us. But we will understand that perfectly well.""
"As the German government looks to crack down on migration, its leaders have sought to resume deportations to Syria. But Wadephul said this applied to only "very few exceptional cases of truly serious criminals". READ ALSO: Wadephul said Germany had a "special obligation" to help with reconstruction in Syria. He vowed that Berlin would "work in a very practical manner to ensure that German companies can operate here"."
"According to the United Nations, one million Syrian refugees have returned from abroad since the fall of Bashar al-Assad late last year. Sharaa's ministry said in a statement he and Wadephul had discussed bilateral relations "as well as ways to enhance cooperation in the political, economic and humanitarian fields". This was Wadephul's first trip to Syria, though his predecessor Annalena Baerbock visited twice, most recently in March to reopen the German embassy in Damascus."
Johann Wadephul visited Damascus and met President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss the possible return of Syrian refugees and bilateral cooperation. Germany hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrians who fled the civil war and recognises that large-scale returns are constrained by destroyed infrastructure. Germany will sympathise with those unwilling to return and intends deportations only for very few exceptional serious criminals. Germany commits to help reconstruction and to enable German companies to operate in Syria. The United Nations reports one million refugees have returned since late last year. Wadephul toured heavily bombed Harasta and compared its destruction to post-1945 Germany.
Read at The Local Germany
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