Lavrov: Russia to help Lebanon refugee return

Russia will help Lebanon return displaced Syrian refugees to their country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday after talks with the Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil in Moscow.

Mr Lavrov said Lebanon should not become a hostage of the Syrian refugee crisis and Russia was opposed to foreign intervention in Lebanon's domestic affairs.

Earlier this year, Russia and Lebanon formed a joint committee to oversee refugee return as hundreds of displaced people began heading back to Syria.

Lebanon officially hosts just under 1 million Syrian refugees, although with unregistered displaced people the government places the figure at upwards of 1.5 million.

Mr Bassil previously accused UNHCR - the UN agency for refugees - of trying to dissuade Syrians from heading home.

The agency strongly denied the claims and highlighted that they have assisted those trying to return make sure they have the correct paperwork to resettle back in their country of origin.

However, it also pointed out that all returns must be voluntary and those heading back must be able to live safely and in dignity as per international law on refugee protection. Both the UN and Western states have stressed that it is too early for refugees to return to Syria given ongoing fighting.

Although large parts of the country are now under government control, more people were internally displaced this year than in any other of the seven-year conflict.

During the meeting with Mr Lavrov, Mr Bassil also said he wants Russian companies to take part in a new tender to develop potential oil and gas deposits on the Lebanese shelf.

It would bolster regional stability if a Russian company successfully secured the tender, Bassil said.

Although Lebanon has no proven oil or gas reserves, preliminary data shows a strong likelihood of some deposits. Only exploratory drilling will show whether this is correct and if economically viable quantities can be extracted.

In February, the energy ministry finalised a deal with a consortium of three companies - French firm Total, Italy's ENI and Russian company Novatek - after the first licencing round.

The companies say they will begin exploration in the two licenced zones - one off the coast north of Beirut and the other, more controversial area, abutting the disputed southern maritime border with Israel.

The Lebanese government has also pressed ahead with the second licencing round despite the consortium not planning the first exploratory drilling operations until 2019.

Mr Bassil said Lebanon should serve as a platform for the economic regeneration of neighbouring Syria and that Beirut would coordinate its efforts with Moscow, Interfax news agency reported.

The National