Syria, the US start unofficial dialogue

The director of "James Baker Institute for public policy" of Rice university Edward Djerjian on Thursday said that President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to start a Syrian- American dialogue under the auspices of the Institute.

Djerjian, the former US ambassador to Syria, who also assumed several higher positions in his diplomatic career which lasted for 30 years, explained that the dialogue will include government officials, academics and business men and other experts at an unofficial level in order to discuss main issues between the two countries including terrorism.

Djerjian continued that al-Assad agreed to the "dialogue" initiative during the Damascus's meeting in January this year. The first conference to this effect will be held at Baker Institute in Huston, Texas in May this year and the second conference will be held in Damascus in Autumn.

Djerjian added that al-Assad expressed interests in what he calls "cultural dialogue" with the US for some times and he approved the idea during the Damascus meeting.