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By Sarah Birke

Source:

April 2, 2010

DAMASCUS, Syria—Sen. John Kerry met with Syrian President Bashar Assad Thursday, the latest in a series of high-level U.S. visits here as Washington prepares to install a new ambassador and pushes fresh peace talks in the Mideast.

Mr. Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said he held “a long and comprehensive” discussion with Mr. Assad, according to a statement released after the meeting.

“President Al-Assad and I had a very positive discussion on the formidable challenges facing this region and we found agreement on a number of ways in which both of us and other countries can contribute significantly to changing the dynamics that exist today,” the statement said.

The Massachusetts Democrat, who also held meetings in Beirut on Wednesday, praised progress made in relations between Syria and Lebanon.

But Mr. Kerry said the U.S. remained “deeply concerned” about the flow of weapons to Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group backed by Syria and Iran.

Washington believes Syria is key to any concerted push to resume comprehensive Mideast peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

So far, however, Damascus has ignored U.S. efforts to break its alliance with Tehran, and to revoke its support of Hezbollah and Hamas.

Mr. Kerry’s visit is seen as especially significant by Syrian officials, who view him as a catalyst for improved bilateral relations. The senator, who co-sponsored the 2003 Syrian Accountability Act which imposed economic sanctions on Damascus, has since pushed for engagement with Syria, including the loosening of U.S. sanctions.

President Barack Obama has nominated career diplomat Robert Ford as Washington’s next ambassador to Damascus.