Cyprus president wants the European Union to discuss designating Syria safe zones for refugees
10 months, 1 week ago

Cyprus president wants the European Union to discuss designating Syria safe zones for refugees

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The European Union won’t serve its own best interests if it doesn’t consider designating some parts of Syria as safe zones so refugees and migrants can return there, the president of Cyprus said Monday. “I don’t consider not discussing the situation inside Syria as an appropriate option for the European Union,” Christodoulides said after talks with Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “The Cyprus Republic, in cooperation with other member states which share this approach, is working toward initiating a discussion within the European Union about the Syria situation,” he said. Although 37% fewer migrants reached Cyprus last year, official figures show migrant arrivals by boat from Syria and Lebanon increased 355% - 4,259 in 2023 as compared to 937 in 2022.

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History of this topic

Cyprus can help rid Syria of chemical weapons and search for its missing, Cypriot top diplomat says
2 days, 13 hours ago

Cyprus can help rid Syria of chemical weapons and search for its missing, Cypriot top diplomat says

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus stands ready to help eliminate Syria’s remaining chemical weapons stockpiles and to support a search for people whose fate remains unknown after more than a decade of war, the top Cypriot diplomat said Saturday. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said Cyprus’ offer is grounded on its own past experience both with helping rid Syria of chemical weapons …

Europe has a new Syrian refugee problem, they don't want to go home amid HTS takeover
1 week, 3 days ago

Europe has a new Syrian refugee problem, they don't want to go home amid HTS takeover

Firstpost  

Despite Assad’s departure, Syria remains mired in uncertainty, with widespread destruction, a bankrupt state, and unclear governance. Germany, home to around 970,000 Syrian refugees, has been at the centre of Europe’s refugee response since former Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the doors to asylum seekers in 2015. Austria unveiled plans for a repatriation program, while Sweden’s far-right Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson …

EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
Trending News
1 week, 4 days ago

EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — Some European Union countries on Thursday doubled down on their decision to rapidly halt asylum procedures for Syrian migrants in Europe, but said that it was too early to consider sending any of the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled since 2011 back home. The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, has said that currently “the …

EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
1 week, 4 days ago

EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, has said that currently “the conditions are not …

Syria's new PM urges refugees to come back and 'rebuild' the country - as many insist they still intend to head for Britain or stay in Europe despite the fall of Assad
1 week, 4 days ago

Syria's new PM urges refugees to come back and 'rebuild' the country - as many insist they still intend to head for Britain or stay in Europe despite the fall of Assad

Daily Mail  

Syria's new transitional prime minister has called for Syrians abroad to return to their homeland and help rebuild it, as Britain and other European countries have rushed to freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians. Thousands of Syrians in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep celebrate at the news of the fall of the Syrian government in Damascus, on December …

Europe asks: Is it time for Syria’s refugees to go home?
1 week, 6 days ago

Europe asks: Is it time for Syria’s refugees to go home?

Live Mint  

Days after Syria’s autocratic ruler fled the country, European politicians have reignited the debate over the region’s decade-old refugee crisis. “No country has received as many Syrians in the European Union as Germany… So far this year, the vast majority of those who got protection were Syrians," said Gerald Knaus, head of the European Stability Initiative, a Berlin-based think tank, …

Cyprus president says a buffer zone splitting the island won’t become another migrant route
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Cyprus president says a buffer zone splitting the island won’t become another migrant route

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The president of Cyprus said Tuesday that he won’t “open another route” for irregular migration by letting through more than two dozen asylum-seekers now stranded in a U.N.-controlled buffer zone that bisects the war-divided island nation. But he said the 180-kilometer buffer zone “won’t become a new avenue for the passage of illegal migrants.” Turkey lets them …

7 EU members say conditions in Syria should be reassessed to allow voluntary refugee returns
7 months ago

7 EU members say conditions in Syria should be reassessed to allow voluntary refugee returns

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The governments of seven 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. The seven 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 …

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration
7 months, 3 weeks ago

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Migration agency chief warns that even more Syrians will leave Lebanon as donors cut back on aid
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Migration agency chief warns that even more Syrians will leave Lebanon as donors cut back on aid

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — The number of Syrian refugees leaving Lebanon is likely to keep rising as donors cut back on aid, the head of the U.N.'s migration agency warned Tuesday, as pressure builds over their arrival on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Amy Pope, director general of the International Organization for Migration, said that around 3,000 Syrians have left Lebanon since …

Cyprus suspends asylum applications for Syrians as arrivals rise
8 months, 1 week ago

Cyprus suspends asylum applications for Syrians as arrivals rise

Al Jazeera  

More than 1,000 people have arrived in Cyprus on boats from Lebanon this month amid deepening tensions in the Middle East. Cyprus has suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrians following a sharp increase in arrivals this month, authorities say. Lebanon, coping with a crippling economic crisis since 2019, hosts some 805,000 Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations, …

Cyprus suspends processing of Syrian asylum applications as boatloads of refugees continue arriving
8 months, 1 week ago

Cyprus suspends processing of Syrian asylum applications as boatloads of refugees continue arriving

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus said Saturday it’s suspending processing all asylum applications by Syrian nationals because large numbers of refugees from the war-torn country continue to reach the island nation by boat, primarily from Lebanon. On Monday, Christodoulides and Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the European Union to provide financial support to help cash-strapped Lebanon stop migrants …

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — The Lebanese caretaker prime minister and the Cypriot president are calling on the European Union to provide financial support to help cash-strapped Lebanon stop migrants from reaching European shores. President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to Beirut Monday, alongside his country’s interior and foreign ministers and army chief, came after he urged the EU last week to intercede with Lebanese …

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Lebanese caretaker prime minister …

Cyprus president asks EU Commission chief to get Lebanon to stop migrants from leaving its shores
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Cyprus president asks EU Commission chief to get Lebanon to stop migrants from leaving its shores

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The president of Cyprus said on Tuesday that he has personally asked the head of the European Union’s executive arm to intercede with Lebanese authorities to stop boatloads of Syrian refugees from heading to the east Mediterranean island nation. “This aid can’t be given while we have to deal with this issue,” Christodoulides said, adding that he …

Cyprus concerned over spike in arrivals of Syrian refugees from Lebanon
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Cyprus concerned over spike in arrivals of Syrian refugees from Lebanon

Al Jazeera  

Arrivals of Syrian asylum seekers have surged, with more than 350 such arrivals recorded in two days. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday said it was “deeply concerning” that the irregular arrival of Syrian asylum seekers and refugees was consistently rising in recent weeks, with more than 350 such arrivals recorded in two days. Cyprus, the EU’s easternmost state, lies …

Cyprus minister says a proposal to set up safe zones in Syria for refugees to return is advancing
9 months ago

Cyprus minister says a proposal to set up safe zones in Syria for refugees to return is advancing

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — A Cyprus government proposal to enable repatriations of Syrian refugees by designating specific areas within the country as safe zones is “gaining ground” among the island nation’s fellow European Union member states, the Cypriot interior minister said Friday. Minister Constantinos Ioannou said after talks with European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas that it’s the “conviction of several …

Cyprus minister says his nation leads EU in repatriations and migrant arrivals are down sharply
1 year ago

Cyprus minister says his nation leads EU in repatriations and migrant arrivals are down sharply

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus is the first European Union member country to repatriate more migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected than have arrived in a single year, the east Mediterranean island nation’s interior minister said Thursday. But Ioannou said a deal EU leaders reached on Wednesday on new rules to control migration falls short of Cyprus’ demand for compulsory …

Cyprus braces for refugee arrivals amid Lebanon war fears
1 year, 1 month ago

Cyprus braces for refugee arrivals amid Lebanon war fears

Al Jazeera  

Officials in Cyprus say Beirut’s possible involvement in the Israel-Hamas war has made Lebanon lag in migration management. Cyprus has received 458 Syrian refugees from Lebanon in a week, Cypriot authorities have said, as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to spread into a wider regional conflict. He said that Lebanon’s possible involvement in Israel’s war in Gaza and the generally worsening …

Cyprus calls on the EU to rethink Syrian safe zones for eventually repatriating Syrian migrants
1 year, 3 months ago

Cyprus calls on the EU to rethink Syrian safe zones for eventually repatriating Syrian migrants

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus has formally called on the European Union to re-evaluate which areas of Syria can be declared safe and free from armed conflict so that Syrian migrants can eventually be repatriated there, Cypriot authorities said Friday. Ethnically divided Cyprus, with a population of nearly a million in the southern, internationally recognized part where migrants seek asylum, says …

Cyprus is sending Syrian migrants back to Lebanon. The UN is concerned but Cypriots say it’s lawful
1 year, 4 months ago

Cyprus is sending Syrian migrants back to Lebanon. The UN is concerned but Cypriots say it’s lawful

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The United Nations refugee agency said Friday it was “extremely concerned” over the return of more than 100 Syrian nationals from Cyprus to Lebanon without being screened to determine whether they need legal protection and who may be deported back to their war-wracked homeland. “Under these circumstances, we believe that they don’t face any danger and their …

Mediterranean nations criticize EU solidarity on migrants
2 years, 6 months ago

Mediterranean nations criticize EU solidarity on migrants

Associated Press  

ROME — Five European Union nations on the Mediterranean who fear possible waves of refugees driven by hunger out of Africa called Saturday for an end to the EU’s “voluntary” solidarity on migrants and a better way to redistribute the burden of caring for them. The Interior ministers from Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Spain wrapped up two days of …

Israel says outreach to Turkey won’t come at Cyprus’ expense
2 years, 9 months ago

Israel says outreach to Turkey won’t come at Cyprus’ expense

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Any bid by Israel to improve strained ties with Turkey won’t come at the expense of its “strategic relationship” with neighboring Cyprus, the Israeli president said Wednesday. Herzog told Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades that “nothing in my visit and what would ensue will be on the account of this strategic relationship with your country.” He said Israel …

Cyprus streamlines migrant returns with EU help
2 years, 10 months ago

Cyprus streamlines migrant returns with EU help

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The European Union and it’s border agency Frontex have helped Cyprus streamline procedures to return migrants who have had their asylum applications rejected amid soaring numbers of arrivals, the country’s interior minister said Tuesday. Minister Nicos Nouris told reporters after talks with Beate Gminder, who heads the European Commission’s Migration Management Task Force, that Cyprus saw 1,335 …

Syrian refugees in Cyprus struggling to rebuild lives torn by war
2 years, 11 months ago

Syrian refugees in Cyprus struggling to rebuild lives torn by war

Al Jazeera  

Paphos, Cyprus – Mustafa*, his wife and their four children felt a sense of relief last summer as they entered a condominium overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. But in January, the Cypriot interior ministry implemented a decree that banned asylum seekers from moving to Chloraka, citing demographic changes and “social problems”. I’m not here to break laws.” Government decree Interior …

Turkey’s Erdogan: Refugee crisis from climate change coming
3 years, 3 months ago

Turkey’s Erdogan: Refugee crisis from climate change coming

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Presaging “hundreds of millions” of climate change refugees, Turkey’s president said Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly that the world needs to find a way to contend with its existing refugees who are fleeing conflict. “The world has still not found a solution to the refugee problem caused by conflict-prone crisis regions such as Syria and Afghanistan.” …

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