Syria seeks ‘peace not normalisation’ with Israel, FM says

Syrian FM says Damascus seeks ‘peace not normalisation’ with Israel through US-mediated talks [Getty]

Damascus is pursuing a security agreement with Israel aimed at guaranteeing stability and respecting the sovereignty of both sides, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said, while rejecting any path toward normalisation imposed through military or political pressure.

Speaking to Euronews on the sidelines of the European Union-Syria Partnership Coordination Forum in Brussels, Shaibani said Israel had “not stopped threatening stability in Syria” since December 2024 through repeated attacks on Syrian military and civilian infrastructure.

The Syrian foreign minister said Damascus did not reject peace, but distinguished between “peace” and “normalisation”.

“Peace is based on mutual respect for sovereignty, interests and security,” he said, while adding that Syria would not accept normalisation imposed “through military force or provocation”.

Shaibani revealed that Syria had already entered US-mediated negotiations aimed at reaching what he described as a “quiet and comprehensive” agreement with Israel.

He stressed that any agreement must include an Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territories occupied since 2024 and expressed hope that the current mediation efforts would lead to an understanding preserving regional stability and Syrian sovereignty.

He also criticised European governments for years of “political incapacity” in dealing with Syria, saying European capitals failed to effectively support Syrians during efforts to topple the former government despite the conflict’s direct consequences for Europe.

“The Syrians liberated themselves with simple Syrian capabilities,” he said, referring to the overthrow of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad after more than a decade of conflict.

He added that Syria’s new government was not seeking “to be placed in the dock” but rather wanted genuine international partners capable of moving beyond political rhetoric toward practical cooperation.

According to Shaibani, Syria’s new foreign policy is based on “Syrian national interests” rather than alignment with external powers.

He said Damascus was seeking partnerships based on shared interests, threats and visions rather than “political dictates”.

Addressing European demands linked to reforms and minority protections, Shaibani argued that the former Syrian government had been responsible for crises that spilled into Europe, including migration, “terrorism”, Captagon trafficking, enforced disappearances and political repression.

He said the current Syrian government was dealing with all Syrians on the basis of citizenship, regardless of sectarian or religious identity, while seeking to guarantee equal rights and freedoms.

Shaibani rejected descriptions of Syria’s conflict as a “civil war”, saying the uprising began as popular demands for “freedom and dignity” before being met with what he called “brutal violence” from the former government.

He said approximately 1.5 million refugees had returned to Syria from abroad, alongside another 1.5 million internally displaced Syrians returning to their original areas, describing the figures as evidence of improved security and internal stability.

At the same time, he acknowledged that widespread destruction across Syrian towns and cities remained the main obstacle preventing larger-scale refugee returns.

Reconstruction, he said, had become one of the Syrian government’s main priorities.

Shaibani claimed Syria had attracted around $62 billion in investments over the past year and a half, saying this reflected growing international confidence in Syria as a “stable and safe” country despite continuing economic and political challenges.

He also pointed to increasing international recognition of Syria’s new political direction, including the lifting of European and US sanctions and the reopening of several European embassies in Damascus.

On the issue of refugees, Shaibani denied the existence of any agreement with Germany or other European countries to immediately repatriate large numbers of Syrians.

He said discussions with European governments focused only on organising returns in ways that would not undermine reconstruction efforts, warning against “rapid and unorganised” returns that could leave refugees displaced again inside Syria due to weak infrastructure and limited services.

Shaibani also rejected characterisations of Syria as an “unsafe country”, noting that several European states no longer automatically grant asylum status to newly arriving Syrians because of what they see as improved security conditions.

However, he warned that imposing “involuntary and undignified” returns could create chaos inside Syria unless accompanied by international support and reconstruction assistance.

The foreign minister also warned that any potential confrontation between Iran and the United States would have direct consequences for Syria and the wider region, given the fragility of Syria’s economy and ongoing reconstruction efforts.

He said Damascus was currently pursuing a policy aimed at “keeping Syria away from conflicts” after more than 14 years of war, stressing that regional stability was essential for reconstruction and refugee returns.