Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has officially announced that his country is mediating between Syria and Israel. The head of state emphasized that the goal of this mission is to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.
The editorial office, citing The Syrian Observer, reports that President Ilham Aliyev, in an interview with “Al Arabiya English” TV channel, revealed that Syrian and Israeli officials have already met through Azerbaijani mediation. Although the location of the meeting was not disclosed, various media outlets have reported that these talks took place in Baku in recent months.
After the meetings in Baku, two additional meetings were held in Paris with US mediation. These processes occurred at a time of escalating tension in southern Syria. The Israeli army's drone strike on Syria's Al-Kiswah region, killing six servicemen, also indicates that tensions in the region persist despite diplomatic initiatives.
Azerbaijan is not only limited to mediation but also expands humanitarian and energy cooperation with Syria. President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijani gas has already reached Syria within the framework of a quadrilateral agreement signed last month with Turkey, Syria, and Qatar:
“Currently, the supply of 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas has been agreed upon, but it is possible to increase this volume in the future.”
This energy partnership was formalized on July 12 with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Syria and Azerbaijan. The first phase of the project began on August 2. This route, financed by Qatar and implemented via Turkey, delivers approximately 3.4 million cubic meters of gas to Syria daily. The supplied gas is used in power plants.
Sevinc Kərimova