Al-Hayat: Syrian- American dialogue

The London- Based al-Hayat daily reported yesterday that one member of a delegation representing the foreign affairs committee at the US Congress thanked the Syrian officials for their role in saving the lives of Americans because of security cooperation between the two sides in the area of fighting terrorism.

This was expressed in a meeting held on Wednesday between the American delegation and the Syrian deputy foreign minister Walid al-Mu'allim, the director of the foreign media department at the foreign ministry Butheina Shaaban, the President of the informatics faculty Imad Mustafa. The meeting was attended by the US ambassador in Damascus Theodore Qattouf.

The paper indicated that Imad Mustafa will play a role in improving his country's image in the American media.

In statements issued yesterday, members of the delegation told the paper that the meeting dealt with the issue of Iraq and Syria's voting on UN resolution 1441 which constituted a message to the Iraqis to side with international resolutions to encourage Baghdad to accept the resolution.

The paper said that one member of the American delegation raised the issue of the two members of the Syrian parliament, Riad Seif and Mamoun al-Homsi, who were sentenced to ten year imprisonment, and the Syrian answer was that no body should interfere in judiciary and that the two parliament members violated laws.

The paper reported that the meeting which was not disclosed by the Syrian official sources dealt with bilateral relations and resumption of their talks. The paper added that the second round of this dialogue will be held in Damascus by the beginning of next year with the participation of parliamentarians, officials and businessmen.