Germany and Syria 'working jointly' on refugee returns: Merz

Berlin and Damascus are working together to enable the return of more Syrian nationals from Germany to their home country, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday.

Germany is home to the largest Syrian diaspora in the European Union at more than a million, many of whom arrived during the peak of the migrant influx in 2015-2016.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Merz said: "We are working jointly towards more Syrians being able to return to their homeland."

Sharaa said that "we are working with our friends in the German government to establish a 'circular' migration model".

He said that such a model would "enable Syrians to contribute to the reconstruction of their homeland without giving up the stability and lives they have built here, for those who wish to stay".

Merz also said Germany wanted to "support" reconstruction in Syria as it struggles to rebuild after a long and bloody civil war, adding that a German government delegation would travel to the Middle Eastern country to this end in the next few days.

However, Merz said that he had stressed to Sharaa in their meeting "that many joint projects in the future will depend on our finding a state governed by the rule of law".

"After our meeting, I am confident that this can be achieved in Syria," Merz said.