Syria wants to have a constructive dialogue with the United States after years of tension, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told a visiting US congressman yesterday.
Syria and the United States are on poor terms because of Damascus's support for the Palestinian group Hamas and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah.
But Damascus sees new US President Barack Obama as less ideological than George W Bush and as more likely to engage Syria, possibly bringing about a thaw in relations.
Mr Assad stressed the importance of "constructive dialogue between Syria and the United States based on mutual respect and common interest," the official news agency quoted him as telling Adam Smith, the first US lawmaker to visit since Mr Obama took office on January 20th.
Mr Assad presented Smith with an assessment of Middle East politics in the wake of Israel's 22-day offensive against the Gaza Strip, the agency said. Syria backed Hamas during the conflict
Mr Smith, a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, said the United States and Syria had thorny issues to solve but that a process had to begin. "We also believe that we have common interest. We all want peace in this region and we all want to fight terrorism. We are hoping that these common interests lead to more dialogue," Mr Smith, who headed a seven-member delegation, told reporters.
Mr Bush imposed sanctions on Syria in 2004, mainly for Damascus's support for Hamas and Hezbollah, and extended them during his last year in office. Under Bush, Washington withdrew its ambassador in Damascus following the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik al-Hariri and accused Syria of allowing Islamist fighters to infiltrate Iraq.
A US raid on Syria last year targeted suspected militants linked to al-Qaeda. Syria said the attack only killed civilians and closed two US institutions in Damascus in response.
Reuters