SYRIA: Washington reafirms its commitment to Syria-Israel peace deal

Record ID: 278962

  • Title: SYRIA: Washington reafirms its commitment to Syria-Israel peace deal
  • Date: 9th May 2009
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MAY 7, 2009) (REUTERS) U.S. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL, JEFFERY FELTMAN, ARRIVING AT FOREIGN MINISTRY SYRIAN FLAG FLYING ON THE MINISTRY BUILDING VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN FELTMAN AND SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WALID AL-MOALLEM ***FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FELTMAN ARRIVING TFOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OF
  • Embargoed: 24th May 2009 13:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVA7UFAWSQXGZ7MBDU3G9ZQ2OR6R
  • Story Text: United States envoy tells Damascus that Washington remains committed to seeking a peace deal between Syria and Israel.
    The United States told Syria on Thursday (May 7, 2009) it is remains committed to seeking a peace deal between the Syrian government and Israel, a primary objective for Damascus in its rapprochement with Washington.
    "We conveyed President Obama's sincere commitment to pursue Arab-Israeli peace on all tracks, including on the Syrian-Israeli track," senior State Department official, Jeffrey Feltman said after meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem in Damascus.
    Feltman added that Obama is also committed to diplomacy and dialogue with Syria in order to work on remaining differences between the two countries.
    "We came here today as part of President Obama's commitment to use diplomacy, to use dialogue in order to try to see where we can move forward, where our interests overlap and to see where we can try to work together to bridge the differences," he said.
    Earlier, Moallem said that Syria was still experimenting the American intentions towards Syria.
    "We are still testing American intentions towards Syria," Moallem said during a news conference on Thursday morning (May 7).
    Ties deteriorated between the two countries during the George W. Bush administration after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. The United States withdrew its ambassador to Syria and stepped up sanctions against Damascus.
    U.S. President Barack Obama, however, has made moves to talk to Syria.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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