Just two days before the USA-Russia summit in Geneva, the “Yalta II”, the Lebanese leaders are wrapping up their consultations in Moscow. After the Shia Islamist party Hezbollah, the Republic’s Christian President Michel Aoun and Sunni Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, it is the turn of General Security Director Major General Abbas Ibrahim.

Russia is eager to ascertain that Ibrahim will be loyal to Damascus and that he will actively participate in the repatriation of Syrian refugees to their place of origin. Moscow intends to organize an international conference, perhaps in Beirut, to bolster their return despite current opposition from Western actors, who are still camping on Obama’s position of keeping the refugees hostage until the surrender of the Syrian Arab Republic. However, General Ibrahim succeeded in quietly repatriating 200,000 refugees with no objection from the United States.

Regarding Lebanon, Yalta II should ratify its attachment to the Russian zone under Syria’s reluctant tutelage.