BEIRUT, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Russian President's Special Envoy Alexander Lavrentiev emphasized Tuesday the need for intensive dialogue between Lebanon and Syria to solve the Syrian refugees' issue, local media reported.
"It is important to increase dialogue with Syria to solve the issue of Syrian refugees' return to their homeland as soon as possible," Lavrentiev was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.
His remarks came during his meeting with House Speaker Nabih Berri along with an accompanying delegation including Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin.
Lavrentiev arrived in Lebanon Tuesday afternoon to hold discussions with Lebanese officials about Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
"We aim to discuss this issue and its impact on Lebanon and the way that Russia can help to ease the suffering of the Syrian population," Lavrentiev said.
More than 1 million Syrian refugees are registered with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Lebanon, while the Lebanese government estimated the true number of Syrians in the country at 1.5 million.
To facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, Russia drafted a strategy and presented it to the Lebanese authorities.
The strategy aims at securing the return of 890,000 Syrian refugees to their homeland.
