Government wants to end debate about return destination for Syrians

“No text exegesis”

“I will not do any text exegesis about which words the Chancellor said and which the President said,” said government spokesman Stefan Kornelius in Berlin. “That’s not appropriate and only satisfies a superficial interest in an illusory conflict that isn’t one.” Kornelius emphasized that both sides agreed that “a significant number of war refugees” no longer have the right to protection and that they are now about to return home. “It doesn’t matter who mentioned which number and in what context.”

After a meeting with al-Sharaa on Monday in the Chancellery, Merz set the goal of 80 percent of the more than 900,000 Syrians in Germany returning to their home country in the next three years. This was understood by observers to mean that Merz made this goal his own. On Tuesday, the Chancellor made it clear: “The Syrian President mentioned the figure of 80 percent returnees within three years. We have taken note of this number, but are aware of the dimensions of the task.”

How al-Sharaa presents the conversation

At an event in London, al-Sharaa presented this differently. “The statement is a bit exaggerated,” he said when the moderator asked him that he had mentioned the 80 percent target. “I’m not the one who said that. It was the Chancellor who said that. That came in a conversation. I said that the return of the refugees is directly linked to Syria’s reconstruction.”

Al-Sharaa said that German companies had shown interest in investing in discussions. Syrian refugees who have learned the language and work processes in Germany could be given preferential treatment in branches of these companies in Syria. The return of refugees must be organized. He, Al-Sharaa, said that if all the circumstances were created, he would guarantee that 80 percent of the people would return to Syria.