Damascus, Aug 20 (NationPress) The chief of foreign affairs for Syria, Assad Hassan al-Shibani, engaged in discussions with an Israeli delegation in Paris aimed at mitigating tensions and enhancing stability in southern Syria, as reported by Syria's state news agency SANA.

The dialogue between al-Shibani and the Israeli representatives emphasized de-escalation, non-interference in Syria's internal matters, and the revitalization of the 1974 disengagement agreement that has regulated the border for years. SANA further indicated that they also explored methods to oversee the ceasefire in Sweida province, a critical zone in the southern region of the country.

This meeting, conducted with US mediation, is part of a broader diplomatic initiative to protect Syria's territorial integrity and enhance regional security, according to Xinhua news agency citing SANA.

Earlier this month, al-Shibani convened with Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack in Amman. The trio reached an agreement to establish a Syrian-Jordanian-US working group focused on bolstering Damascus' efforts to sustain the Sweida ceasefire and pursuing a comprehensive resolution to the ongoing crisis in Syria.

In December, after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, Israel deployed ground forces into the buffer zone that lies between the two nations, a demilitarized area adjoining the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and Syria.

The buffer zone is overseen by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, which was instituted under the 1974 disengagement agreement. Israel subsequently captured the Syrian-controlled section of Mount Hermon.