Syria and Israel hold Talks in Baku, U.S. Pushes for Security Agreement
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – Israeli and Syrian officials met in Baku, Azerbaijan, this week for a third round of talks mediated by U.S. envoy Tom Barak, sources confirmed. The discussions center on a potential security agreement aimed at de-escalation and land withdrawal, though a comprehensive peace treaty remains distant.
The meetings follow a recent Israeli proposal offering a gradual withdrawal from lands occupied in Syria in recent months, with the key exception of a strategic position on Sheikh Mountain, which Israel insists on maintaining. A core tenet of the Israeli offer is the preservation of an air corridor through Syria to potentially conduct future strikes in Iran.
Syria is currently formulating a counter-proposal, seeking the withdrawal of Israeli forces from recently seized territories and the restoration of the 1974 demilitarized buffer zone, alongside a cessation of Israeli air strikes and land raids.
According to informed sources, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed interest in a potential meeting with Syrian President Ahmed Al-shara on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in late September, though the likelihood of such a meeting is currently considered low.
the accelerated talks are reportedly driven by American pressure to achieve progress before the UN General Assembly meeting. Washington views a modest agreement as an achievable goal, acknowledging Israel’s strong negotiating position and Syria’s weakened state following recent internal conflict.
Notably, discussions have not addressed the status of the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967.
The talks build on previous reporting from Reuters indicating Syria’s willingness to negotiate a security agreement to regain lost territory, falling short of full normalization. Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, and Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, participated in the Baku meeting alongside Barak.