US Council For The National Interest meets Al-Assad, Palestinians

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad discussed on Wednesday the US - Syrian relations and means of activating them with the US Council For The National Interest (CNI) delegation.

The US Council For The National Interest (www.cnionline.org) is founded by its chairman, former Congressman Paul Findley, who had said "Most citizens are unaware of the startling fact that for years our US Middle East policy has not been crafted by seasoned experts who are committed to America's basic national interests."

The delegation met on January 29 in the Palestinian territories with Shaikh Naif Rajoub, a member of Hamas who recently won a seat in the new Palestinian Legislative Council representing Hebron. "The CNI delegation, which includes Ambassador Edward Peck, Ambassador Robert Keeley, and Eugene Bird, discussed Hamas and its desire for relations with Israel, Washington, and the European Union. Shaikh Naif has been held in high repute in the city ever since his return more than a decade ago from southern Lebanon, where he and 415 fellow Palestinians were forced to live in exile for a year, having been illegally expelled from Israel in 1992. He expressed regret at the violence done to Israelis, but said that it was in retaliation to the military’s targeted assassinations of their leaders and people," the organization said.

The organization noted that "The delegation sensed during their time in Hebron that the Palestinians were overjoyed by the Hamas victory. Many expressed their happiness to see Americans but their disagreement with American policy, which was viewed as being responsible for their current situation. It represents the first time that former American diplomats have met with members of Hamas. Said Eugene Bird, president of CNI, 'We are convinced that communication with Hamas is going to be necessary in order to preserve the ceasefire and continue the peace processes.'"

CNI noted that "Also on hand to congratulate the new Hamas leader was Rabbi Menachem Froman, a founder of the militant settler group Gush Emmunim. He is known for his views on the need to reconcile Palestinians and Israelis through their Muslim and Jewish faiths."

Foreign Minister Farouq al-Sharaa met with the delegation and emphasized on Wednesday the significance of dialogue as a basis to solve pending issues among nations in their mutual interests.

Sharaa pointed out that respecting international resolutions and executing them without double standards would secure to find solutions for many issues the region is suffering from.

Talks with President al-Assad dealt ways of activating ties in the interest of both countries and therefore achieving security and settlement in the region by depending on the language of dialogue and listening to the view of the other, a statement said.

Ambassador Edward Peck underlined the need to hold diplomatic dialogue between Syria and the United States of America over issues of mutual concern for the two countries, the region and international issues in general.

Peck told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Farouq al-Sharaa, that the delegation he is heading includes former diplomats and ambassadors of the United States and noted that it dedicated its work to bring more balance to the US policy in the Middle East.

He pointed out the group might not agree with the US policy on many issues and it expresses that by visits and dialogue with many officials in the world countries and this visit comes in this framework.

Peck said the delegation would display after return to Washington a film on his current visit to the region as he will make another show of the film over the group web site as well it would hold many meetings and seminars to explain the view point of the officials the delegation had met during his tour.

The aim of this will be to find appropriate means to boost dialogue among the world countries particularly between Syria and the US, Peck said.

CNI delegation has started last month a tour in the Middle East to meet top officials to assess developments in the region and their impact on US interests.

The tour includes Egypt, Jordan, the occupied Arab territories and Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.

President al-Assad reviewed with the delegation Syria's position towards current events in the region. There was a discussion of subjects of terrorism and how to combat it, and Iraq as well as the latest developments in the Palestinian arena.

President al-Assad asserted the need of adopting "the just and right" as well he underlined "the need of the existence of desire to achieve peace in the region and in the world." The US delegation stressed the importance of Syria's pivotal role in the region.