Syrian officials are expected in Paris on Monday to resume US-mediated talks with Israel in a bid to reach an agreement involving an Israeli pullback to positions held before the fall of the Assad regime.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is scheduled to meet his Syrian counterpart Asaad Al Shibani on Monday evening.
"A new round of Syrian-Israeli negotiations, mediated by the United States, is be held in Paris on January 6," French diplomatic sources told The National.
From left, Tom Barrack, US Special Envoy to Syria, Jean-Noel Barrot, French Foreign Minister, and his Syrian counterpart Asaad Al Shibani in Paris. Photo: Sana
Sana, the state-run Syrian news agency, confirmed the talks were taking place but gave neither a date nor location. It said the Syrian delegation was led by Mr Al Shibani and intelligence chief Hussein Al Salam. Tom Barrack, US envoy for the Middle East, is set to oversee the talks which are expected to last for two days, news website Axios reported.
This is the fifth round of indirect talks between Israel and Syria, and the third time France is hosting them. Mr Al Shibani, Mr Barrot and Mr Barrack met in Paris in July to discuss deadly clashes in the southern Syrian region of Sweida, where Israeli air strikes a
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