LONDON: Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab met with an Austrian delegation in Damascus on Thursday to discuss cooperation on migration, border management, and the voluntary return of Syrian asylum seekers.

Austria’s special envoy to the Middle East, Ambassador Arad Benko, along with senior officials from Austria’s Interior Ministry, discussed asylum issues, the regulation of humanitarian movement, and ways to coordinate policies and procedures between the two countries.

The discussions also involved sharing expertise in border control, organizing asylum procedures, and facilitating voluntary returns, while cooperating to support security and stability in both countries, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

As of November 2024, Syrians make up the largest group of asylum seekers in Austria, with 12,871 applications recorded, the EuroMed Rights reported.