ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has set up a backchannel for talks between Israel and Syria, three people familiar with the matter said, as Syria’s new rulers seek regional help to manage an increasingly hostile relationship with their southern neighbour.
The indirect contacts, which have not been previously reported, are focused on security and intelligence matters and confidence-building between two states with no official relations, a person with direct knowledge of the matter, a Syrian security source and a regional intelligence official said.
The first source described the effort, which began days after Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa visited the UAE on April 13, as currently focused on “technical matters,” and said there was no limit to what may eventually be discussed.
Asked about Reuters’ report on the UAE-mediated talks during a news conference on a visit to Paris, Sharaa responded: “There are indirect negotiations taking place via mediators to calm the situation.”
It was his first public acknowledgement of such efforts.
“We talk to all states that are in communication with the Israeli side to pressure them to stop interfering in Syria’s affairs and violating its airspace and striking some of its installations,” he said.
