Russian President's Special Envoy for the Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentyev met with Lebanese head of state Michel Aoun in Beirut on Wednesday, the presidential press service reports.
"Russian President's Special Envoy Lavrentyev arrived at the Baabda Palace at the head of the delegation, which includes diplomats and military personnel, and held talks with President Aoun," the press service said. - The parties discussed the Russian initiative to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their places of residence, as well as the issue of convening an international conference on this issue in Damascus on November 10-12".
The Russian Embassy in Lebanon told TASS that Lavrentyev and his accompanying delegation were scheduled to meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to form a new government. He will also meet with General Joseph Aoun, commander of the Lebanese Army, and Abbas Ibrahim, head of the Lebanese General Security Directorate.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in 2011, more than 1.5 million Syrians have been sheltered in Lebanon. Speaking in video format on September 21 at a UN General Assembly meeting, President Aoun called on the international community to "help Lebanon ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland". According to him, Lebanon "is experiencing an unprecedented crisis and is no longer able to bear the burden of refugee presence on its territory.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"