Syria’s interim President  Al-Shara meets US envoy Tom Barrack in Damascus for high-level talks

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara held a high-level meeting on July 9 with U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and a senior representative from the U.S. State Department. 

The talks, held at the People’s Palace in Damascus, focused on four key files concerning the future of Syria’s political and territorial stability, Caliber.Az reports, citing Syria TV.

According to the report, the meeting was part of a broader diplomatic effort aimed at renewing dialogue between Damascus and Washington. Discussions centred on security coordination, humanitarian access, economic sanctions relief, and the reintegration of territories controlled by the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria.

Simultaneously, a separate meeting took place at the Tishreen Palace between representatives of the Autonomous Administration and Syrian government officials. The session was dedicated to advancing the implementation of the March agreement signed between the two sides, which outlines a political and administrative framework for cooperation.

State-run “Al-Ikhbariya” reported that Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani attended the talks at the People’s Palace. While the report emphasised the official nature of the visit and its goal of enhancing bilateral dialogue, it made no mention of the participation of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi, sparking speculation about the evolving power dynamics within Syria’s northeast.

In a related development, Kurdish media outlets reported the arrival of a Turkish delegation in Damascus on July 9, coinciding with a surprise video appearance by Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), his first in 26 years. In the video, Öcalan announced the end of the "armed struggle" against the Turkish state and called on his followers and all Kurdish forces to adopt "democratic politics" as a strategic alternative.

By Vugar Khalilov