Damascus, Aug. 23 (SANA) A high-level Syrian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and including the heads of the General Intelligence and Military Intelligence services held a meeting Sunday with a high-level Israeli delegation under U.S. mediation and hosted by Jordan, a diplomatic source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates told SANA.
The meeting followed recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory and rising tensions in southern Syria, and was held as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions and support stability in Syria and the region,the source said.
Discussions focused on establishing practical mechanisms to halt Israeli attacks, arrests and targeting operations, and reviving negotiations with the aim of reaching a security agreement that could serve as the basis for a more comprehensive future agreement.
The Syrian side stressed during the meeting that Syria is a sovereign state with the full right to rebuild and develop its national army and determine its alliances and partnerships in line with its national interests, rejecting any arrangements or mechanisms that would restrict these sovereign rights.
Syria also reiterated its position that the occupied Golan is Syrian territory, while noting that discussing its final status and the path toward resolving it remains premature at this stage. The immediate priority, it said, is the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the lines held before Dec. 8, 2024, and the reactivation and full implementation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
The discussions also addressed the importance of supporting Syria’s stability and maintaining regional security, including efforts to bridge differences between Türkiye and Israel and ensure that tensions between the two countries do not spill over onto Syrian territory.
According to the source, the meeting focused on practical steps to de-escalate tensions while exploring ways to return to negotiations, with Syria stressing that any security arrangements must respect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and sovereign rights.
MHD
