German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday invited Syria’s new transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Germany to discuss Berlin’s plans to return Syrian criminals to their home country.
“The civil war in Syria is over. There are now no longer any grounds for asylum in Germany, which means we can begin repatriations,” Merz said during a visit to the northern port town of Husum.
The chancellor’s comments are at odds with remarks made by his foreign minister during a visit to Damascus last week, who said that Syrian refugees living in Germany would be unlikely to return “in the near future” due to the destruction of the country.
During his inaugural trip to Syria, Germany’s top diplomat Johann Wadephul was struck by the devastation that was still visible in a Damascus suburb nearly a year after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad.
“It is barely possible for people to live here with dignity,” the minister said while visiting the neighbourhood of Harasta.
“In the near future, [Syrian refugees] can not return,” he said.
Merz promised that Germany would contribute to Syrian reconstruction, but added that he was also banking on a large part of the Syrian refugees living in Germany to return home and join in.
“Without these people, reconstruction is impossible,” the chancellor said. “And those in Germany who then refuse to return to their country we can, of course, deport in the near future.”
According to official figures, around 951,400 Syrian nationals were based in Germany at the end of August, including 920 with a deportation order.
Al-Sharaa led a rebel alliance that ousted al-Assad in December after more than a decade of civil war. A former Islamist, he has sought to present a moderate image and vowed to respect the rights of all of Syrian society, including women and minorities.
However, as the first anniversary of al-Assad’s ouster nears, the situation in Syria remains fragile, with hopes for a better future dampened by repeated fatal clashes, including between government troops and minorities.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during a press conference at the Schifffahrtsmuseum Nordfriesland. The Federal Chancellor is on his inaugural visit to Schleswig-Holstein. Marcus Brandt/dpa