Paris talks reaffirm commitment to Syria’s transition

PARIS

Syria, the United States and France issued a joint statement on July 25 reaffirming their commitment to swiftly advancing efforts to support Syria’s political transition, safeguard its unity and uphold its territorial integrity.

The statement followed high-level discussions in Paris, where Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot and U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on July 25, during the second day of Syria-focused consultations in the French capital.

The three countries also stressed the importance of ensuring that Syria does not pose a threat to its neighbors — and vice versa.

The talks came in the wake of deadly sectarian violence between Bedouin tribes and Druze communities in Syria’s southern province of Sweida, which has drawn growing international concern.

According to Syria’s state-run news agency SANA, the discussions focused on reinforcing Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, boosting counterterrorism cooperation and advancing judicial accountability mechanisms.

The diplomats reviewed ongoing efforts to investigate recent violence — particularly in Sweida — and to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

The parties also voiced support for the implementation of the March 10 agreement between the Syrian government and the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which control much of northeastern Syria.

A new round of consultations on this issue is expected to be held in Paris in the coming weeks, SANA reported.

A planned meeting on July 24 involving SDF head Mazloum Abdi was postponed, though no new date has yet been announced.

On July 24, Paris also hosted a rare high-level meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials — the first such encounter in over two decades, according to Israeli media reports.

The talks were attended by Barrack who also serves as the U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Shaibani.

“Our goal was dialogue and de-escalation — and we accomplished precisely that,” Barrack wrote on X following the meeting, adding that all parties reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement.