Syrians have right to return home but conditions not yet met: EU

ANKARA

The EU said Tuesday that it supports the rights of Syrians to return to their homeland but acknowledged that conditions for that have not been met.

"What is required first is to create conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees and the internally displaced, in accordance with international law and the principle of non-refoulement," said the EU mission in Syria on Twitter.

The mission noted that the head of the EU delegation to Syria, Dan Stoenescu, met UN High Commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi in Damascus.

"The EU will support UN-facilitated returns in a timely manner, when and as soon as conditions become available, it added.

Syria has been mired in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

UN estimates show that more than 8 million Syrians have since been internally displaced or become refugees in other countries.