SYRIA: U.S. officials positive after talks with Syrians

Record ID: 279388

  • Title: SYRIA: U.S. officials positive after talks with Syrians
  • Date: 8th March 2009
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MARCH 7, 2009) (REUTERS) U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE, JEFFREY FELTMAN, ARRIVING TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IN DAMASCUS VARIOUS OF THE MEETING BETWEEN FELTMAN AND SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WALID AL-MOALLEM FELTMAN MOALLEM THE MEETING FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) JEFFREY FELTMAN, U.S. ASSISTANT OF STATE, SAYING: "I would characterise th
  • Embargoed: 23rd March 2009 12:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVA7ZXPFHKV2EGVASC8WZJUFK9C3
  • Story Text: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State was in a postive mood after holding talks with Syrian officials in Damascus.
    Jeffrey Feltman, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, and Dan Shapiro of the White House's National Security Council, arrived in Syria on Saturday (March 7, 2009) and met with Syrian officials.
    Feltman and Shapiro are the first senior U.S. officials to visit Syria since Jan. 2005.
    After a three-hour meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Waldi al-Moallem, Feltman was in an upbeat mood.

    "I would characterise the discussions as very constructive. We discussed a broad range of regional issues and the bilateral relationship," he said.
    Ties deteriorated between the two countries during the George W. Bush administration after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri, that year. 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.
    U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday (March 6) that the Obama administration was "testing the waters" in its diplomatic overtures to Iran and Syria.
    Feltman was ambassador to Lebanon at the time of Hariri's killing.
    A United Nations investigation has implicated Syrian security officials in the Hariri killing. Damascus denies involvement.
    An international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination started work on March 1, but it may take months to issue any indictments.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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