Date: Aug 31, 2018 Source: The Daily Star Satterfield, Russian envoy hold 'heated' Syria talk: report BEIRUT: A heated discussion took place between a senior U.S. diplomat and Russia’s ambassador to Washington over Moscow’s initiative to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, a local daily reported Friday. According to Al-Liwaa, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield was at odds with Russia’s ambassador over the situation in Syria. Citing diplomatic sources in Washington, the daily reported that Satterfield voiced U.S. refusal to fund or support committees or initiatives for refugees’ return before knowing the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad “based on any political settlement.” High-level Lebanese and Russian delegations have been holding meetings since July, when the Russian Defense Ministry sent Washington a proposal. The joint plan to return Syrian refugees to their home country included the establishment of working groups in Lebanon and Jordan that would involve U.S. and Russian officials. Lebanon has seen an influx of Syrian refugees since the crisis in the country began in 2011. The UNHCR has registered just under 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, but Lebanese officials have put the number closer to 1.5 million.