Turkey and Israel continue talks in Baku on Syria under the sponsorship of Azerbaijan.
Today, Thursday, May 8, the third round of talks between Turkey and Israel on the situation in Syria is taking place in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, under the auspices of Azerbaijan, which has strong ties with Tel Aviv.
Informed sources revealed to the "Israeli Broadcasting Authority" two main demands Israel is presenting during the negotiations, which include ensuring no military forces threatening its security near the Syrian borders, as well as preventing the spread of strategic weapons in Syria that pose a threat to Israel.
The authority also mentioned Israel's efforts to persuade Turkey not to establish military bases inside Syrian territories.
Israeli media quoted a senior government official confirming that Israel is "very optimistic" about the negotiations with Turkey, pointing to the positive atmosphere in recent meetings. The official told "Times of Israel": "Israel is even open to the idea of Turkey maintaining a limited military base inside Syrian territories," provided that it is done within agreements that preserve regional stability and reduce escalation.
On the other hand, a Turkish official told "Times of Israel" that Ankara is focused on confronting "cross-border terrorist threats, especially from ISIS and the Kurdistan Workers' Party," emphasizing that his country "does not seek conflict with any state," reflecting its preference for limited security solutions rather than involvement in broad regional confrontations.
Israeli media, including "Kan" broadcasting authority, previously revealed the failure of the first round of negotiations in Baku, aimed at establishing a mechanism to prevent military clashes between the two sides in Syria.
Despite both parties acknowledging the importance of establishing a coordination channel _similar to the one previously between Israel and Russia_, the talks ended without an agreement.
This comes as Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara announced indirect talks Damascus is conducting with Israel to de-escalate tensions, according to statements he made yesterday in Paris.
