AFP: New Round of Syrian-Israeli Talks in Baku
The French Press Agency (AFP), quoting a diplomatic source, reported that the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, will host a new Syrian-Israeli meeting tomorrow, Friday, as part of ongoing negotiations between the two parties under American sponsorship.
A source from the Syrian Foreign Ministry, who requested anonymity, stated that the talks have seen “significant progress,” noting that successive agreements might be concluded before the end of the year, with the initial phase covering security and military issues.
Last week, the head of the Syrian transitional government, Ahmad Al-Shara, told official television that the negotiations with Israel aim to reach an agreement ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas they entered following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
The agency also quoted a Syrian military official saying that the army began withdrawing its heavy weapons from southern Syria two months ago, an area Israel demands to be demilitarized.
In parallel with these developments, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani is scheduled to visit Washington on Thursday, in a first visit of its kind in 25 years, to discuss the issue of US sanctions as well as the negotiation process with Israel.
Al-Shaibani met with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in London on Wednesday, following a previous meeting in Paris in August, under the auspices of the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrett.
