8 EU nations call for reassessment of Syrian conditions for voluntary refugee repatriation

Eight EU nations urge reevaluating Syria's situation to facilitate voluntary Syrian refugee returns. They believe the situation has evolved despite ongoing instability and suggest more effective refugee management. Cyprus has experienced a surge in Syrian refugees arriving on boats. The EU has provided aid to Lebanon to control border crossings and reduce refugee flow. The countries emphasize national governments' authority over border control and propose reducing incentives for refugees by limiting benefits in designated safe areas. The effort aims to spark a broader EU debate on refugee protection and support while acknowledging the need to provide assistance in accordance with international law.

The governments of eight European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland.

In a joint declaration, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta and Poland said they agree on a re-assessment that would lead to “more effective ways of handling” Syrian refugees trying to reach European Union countries.

The eight countries, which held talks during a summit meeting in the Cypriot capital, said the situation in Syria has “considerably evolved”, even though complete political stability hasn't been achieved.

Cyprus has in recent months seen an upsurge of Syrian refugees reaching the island nation primarily from Lebanon aboard rickety boats.

Earlier this month, the EU announced a 1 billion euro (USD 1.06 billion) aid package for Lebanon aimed at boosting border controls to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants to Cyprus and Italy.

The eight countries said the EU should further boost support for Lebanon to ''mitigate the risk of even greater flows from Lebanon to the EU”.

“Decisions as to who has the right to cross a member state's borders, should be taken by the government of the relevant member state and not by criminal networks engaged in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings,” the joint declaration said.

A Cypriot official said that any re-evaluation of conditions within Syria would not necessarily mean that Syrian refugees would be deported back to their country. Instead, Syrian refugees hailing from areas re-designated as safe would lose any allowances, benefits and the right to work, creating a disincentive to others to come to Cyprus.

The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't allowed to speak publicly about details of the proposal.

The countries said that while they “fully embrace” the need to support Syrian refugees in line with international law, they hoped their talks could open a wider debate within the 27-member bloc on the process of granting the migrants international protection.

In Lebanon, where anti-refugee sentiment has been surging recently, more than 300 Syrian refugees returned to Syria in a convoy earlier this week.

Lebanese officials have long urged the international community to either resettle the refugees in other countries or help them return to Syria.