Syria, Israel hold US-mediated talks in Jordan to ease tensions

Senior Syrian and Israeli delegations held talks in Jordan on August 23 under U.S. mediation as the two sides sought to ease tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory.

The Syrian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and included the heads of the General Intelligence and Military Intelligence services. Israel was represented by a high-level delegation, SANA reports. 

According to a Syrian diplomatic source cited by SANA, the meeting was hosted by Jordan and focused on efforts to de-escalate tensions in southern Syria and support stability in the country and the wider region.

The discussions addressed possible mechanisms to halt Israeli attacks, arrests and targeting operations, as well as efforts to revive negotiations aimed at reaching a security agreement that could eventually serve as the basis for a broader accord.

The Syrian side stressed that Syria is a sovereign state with the right to rebuild and develop its national army and determine its alliances and partnerships according to its national interests. Damascus rejected any arrangements that could restrict those sovereign rights.

The talks followed a recent Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria's Idlib province, amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

By Sabina Mammadli