MOSCOW. Oct 19 (Interfax-AVN) - The first deputy head of the Defense Ministry's main directorate for international military cooperation, Yegeny Ilyin, has met with a delegation of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"The Russian Defense Ministry hosted a meeting of the first deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's main directorate for international military cooperation, Gen. Maj. Yegeny Ilyin, and the delegation of the UNHCR headed by the Director for the Middle East and Regional Refugee Coordinator for Syria and Iraq Situations, Mohamed Amin Awad Abu Bakr," the ministry said.
The UNHCR delegation was informed about the Russian Defense Ministry's activities to create favorable conditions for refugees' return.
"Attention was drawn to the work of the Russian Center for the Reception, Allocation, and Accommodation of Refugees in Damascus. The UNHCR was invited to cooperate with the center via its regional branches," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
During the meeting, the Russian side noted readiness to interact in informing Syrians abroad about the efforts made by the government to establish peaceful life and restore the infrastructure of the country, it said.
"[The UNHCR] was informed about the work of Russian and Syrian inter-agency coordination headquarters on the return of refugees," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The UNHCR delegation, in turn, shared its evaluation of the situation in Syria. According to Russian military, it noted readiness to develop interaction in resolving issues of Syrian citizens returning home.