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Top US Diplomat Hopeful in Talks with Syria
President Bashar Al Assad of Syria held security talks with US diplomat, a day after Obama pledged to reappoint an ambassador to Syria after a 5-year absence.
Under Secretary of State William Burns, the architect of a deal that helped rehabilitate Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi, met Assad along with Daniel Benjamin, a senior US counter-terrorism official.
“I have no illusions about the challenges,” Burns said after seeing the president. “But my meeting with President Assad made me hopeful that we can make progress together in the interest of both of our countries,” Burns added.
Benjamin, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State, will stay in Syria on Thursday for a day of talks with Syrian officials after Burns departs. The intention was “to deepen our dialogue as we move forward,” Burns said.
Under Obama, the United States started talking to Syria’s government, in contrast to a policy of isolation under former President George W. Bush.
The United States withdrew its ambassador from Damascus in 2005 after the assassination in Beirut of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al Hariri. Syria’s foes in Lebanon accused Damascus of involvement, a charge Syria denied.
Syria announced that year that it had stopped cooperation with the US on what it describes as terrorism suspects following US criticism of Syria’s role in Iraq.
But Syrian officials met twice last year with a US security delegation in Damascus, although Syria is on the US “sponsors of terrorism” list and has good ties with Iran.
The United States wants Syria to stop infiltration of militants to Iraq through the Syrian border, an issue that caused relations to deteriorate until Obama took office.
Washington also wants Syria to rein in members of the Iraqi Baath Party who fled to Syria and are accused by the US-backed Iraqi government of encouraging violence in Iraq.
Relations between Washington and Damascus have improved since Obama took office 13 months ago. Diplomats say Washington is hoping to pull Syria away from Iran and get its help in stabilising neighbouring Iraq.
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