Haaretz: Syrian-Israeli meeting in Baku discusses regional threats and security coordination
Israeli Haaretz newspaper reported that officials from Syria and Israel held an unannounced meeting in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, on Saturday, as part of a series of ongoing security talks between the two sides.
The Israeli newspaper reported that the meeting coincided with Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa’s visit to Azerbaijan, and that the talks focused on security and regional issues, most notably the escalating threats from Iran and Hezbollah, as well as tensions stemming from the presence of armed Palestinian factions within Syrian territory.
According to Haaretz, the two sides also discussed the idea of opening an Israeli coordination office in Damascus, though it wouldn’t have official diplomatic status, indicating a potential development in the course of communications between the two sides.
Haaretz suggested that this meeting was likely part of a broader series of meetings involving high-ranking security figures from both sides, without revealing the identities of the participants.
According to sources, a direct meeting took place in Baku between a representative of the Syrian government and another from the Israeli side to discuss developments in southern Syria.
The source explained that the Syrian president didn’t participate in the meeting and didn’t specify the official body representing Syria at the meeting.
Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa arrived, Sunday in the capital, Baku, where he met with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, at the Zogulba Palace, accompanied by an official Syrian delegation.
During the visit, a natural gas supply agreement was signed between Syria and Azerbaijan’s state energy company, SOCAR, in the presence of Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al Bashir.
In a significant development, Israeli media reported that a potential meeting between the Syrian President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could take place in Washington, D.C., in September, ahead of the UN General Assembly.
The Israeli media previously reported that, according to an unnamed Syrian source close to the Syrian government as saying that the upcoming meeting may be held at the White House, under the auspices of former US President Donald Trump, with the aim of signing a preliminary security agreement that could pave the way for a comprehensive normalization agreement between Syria and Israel.
