Syria, Israel to Hold Security Talks in Baku

On September 18, a security meeting between Syria and Israel is scheduled to take place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. This is reported by Sky News Arabia.

Other sources, particularly Axios, noted that on September 17, a meeting would take place in London between Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs, Dermer, and Syria's Foreign Minister, al-Shibani, during which the parties would discuss a proposal for a security agreement. The US special envoy Barrack will also participate in the negotiations. This will be the third trilateral meeting in such a format.

Citing its sources, Axios writes that Israel has presented Syria with a detailed proposal for a new security agreement. It is noted that the proposal is based on the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. According to the source, under the proposal, the area southwest of Damascus will be divided into three zones, but the Syrian side will be able to maintain different levels of forces and armaments in these zones, depending on the area. In addition, the following conditions are mentioned:

✔️ Expansion of the buffer zone by 2 km on the Syrian side.

✔️ Absence of troops and heavy weaponry in the zone adjacent to the buffer zone and closest to the border with Israel. Only police and Syrian internal security forces are allowed to be deployed in that area.

✔️ The entire area southwest of Damascus up to the Israeli border will be declared a no-fly zone for Syrian aircraft.

In return, the Israeli side has proposed to gradually withdraw its troops from Syrian territory, with the exception of the strategically important summit of Mount Hermon. It is also emphasized that one of the important points of the proposal is the maintenance of an air corridor through Syria to Iran.

According to unofficial information, Syria has not yet responded to this proposal.

It should be recalled that the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was signed in 1979 in Washington by Egyptian President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Begin. Under that agreement, the Sinai Peninsula came under Egyptian control, and the border between the two countries was established.