Syria Expects Israel Talks to Resume Despite Attacks

Syria expects negotiations with Israel on a security agreement to resume soon, a deal it hopes will halt Israeli attacks and lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in an interview with Reuters.

The talks, which are supported by the United States, were suspended after the outbreak of war with Iran. Contacts between Damascus and Israel subsequently ceased following an Israeli attack on the Syrian airbase at Abu al-Duhur. Israel claimed that Turkish troops were stationed there, a claim denied by both Syria and Turkey.

The two sides had nearly reached an agreement on the terms of a security pact early this year, Shaibani said. It was to include several security zones along the Israeli border as well as a buffer zone with a UN presence.

However, Damascus did not see any real willingness on Israel's part to implement the agreement, the minister said. Syria's priority now is to stop Israeli attacks. Only then does it want to negotiate peace and the status of the Golan Heights.

(Reuters, sab)