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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Sunday that Damascus is conducting "advanced discussions" with Israel on a possible security agreement that would be based on the 1974 truce line, according to local media reports.
Speaking to an Arab media delegation, Sharaa said he would not hesitate to take "any agreement or decision that serves Syria's and the region's interests," Syria TV reported.
While Sharaa indicated the time is not yet right for a peace agreement with Israel, he said he would accept "without hesitation" any deal that would benefit Syria and the region, according to Sky News Arabic.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held talks with an Israeli delegation in Paris on Tuesday, discussing de-escalation, noninterference in Syrian affairs and reaching understandings to support regional stability, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
The U.S.-mediated discussions addressed "monitoring the ceasefire in Sweida province in southern Syria and reactivating the 1974 agreement," according to the agency.
The talks are part of diplomatic efforts "to bolster security and stability in Syria and preserve its unity and territorial integrity."
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with Syrian Foreign Minister Shaibani and Intelligence Chief Hussein Salame in Paris on Aug. 19, where "security issues" along the Israel-Syria border were discussed.
U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack visited Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussing Syria and Lebanon, The Jerusalem Post reported, citing an unnamed source.
During the meeting, Barrack reportedly asked Netanyahu to end Israeli attacks on Lebanon. The two also discussed negotiations between Syria and Israel, according to the source.
Barrack also met with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Defense Minister Israel Katz. U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus accompanied him.
The 1974 Syria-Israel Disengagement Agreement, following the October 1973 war, aimed at separating warring forces and ending direct clashes between the two sides.
The agreement established arrangements to pull back troops and set two main lines, known as the Alpha and Bravo lines, separating Syrian and Israeli military positions. A buffer zone was created between the two lines under the supervision of the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
A Syrian government source told news channel Alikhbaria that Syria emphasized the need for a precise mechanism to reactivate the 1974 ceasefire agreement during the Paris talks. This mechanism aims to stop Israeli violations of Syrian territory and create a more stable environment in the region.
Israeli forces occupied the buffer zone adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Israel has held since 1967, on Dec. 8, 2024. Israeli troops extended their occupation beyond the buffer zone, reaching within 20 kilometers of Damascus.
Netanyahu has signaled that the occupation in southern Syria would be permanent and demanded the disarmament of the southern region, contrary to Syrian sovereignty.
Israel intervened in clashes that erupted in Sweida in southern Syria on July 13, launching attacks on the Syrian army, areas near the presidential compound in Damascus, and the General Staff building.
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