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Germany and Austria Advance Talks with Syrian Transitional Government on Refugee Returns

Interior ministers Faeser and Karner meet in Damascus to negotiate voluntary repatriation pathways and deportation protocols for criminals and extremists.

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Nancy Faeser (SPD). Die geschäftsführende Innenministerin musste eine Reise nach Syrien nach Hinweisen auf eine "terroristische Bedrohung" abbrechen.
Gerhard Karner, Nancy Faeser und Anas Chattab (v.l.n.r.) während eines Treffens im syrischen Innenministerium

Overview

  • German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner held discussions in Damascus with Syrian Interior Minister Anas Chattab on refugee return frameworks and deportations of offenders.
  • Syria’s transitional government has agreed in principle to issue documentation for returnees, but no specific timelines or agreements have been finalized.
  • Germany has paused asylum decisions for Syrian applicants, with over 52,000 cases pending, as officials assess the situation following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
  • The German government is drafting rules to allow Syrian refugees to make short exploratory trips to assess conditions in their home country without losing protection status.
  • Faeser emphasized the priority of deporting criminals and Islamist extremists once security conditions in Syria allow for safe implementation.