Assad confers with US congressmen

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on Tuesday received members of a US congress delegation comprising Senators Joseph Lieberman and Jack Reed and member of the House of Representatives Peter Deutsch.

Talks dealt with the Middle East peace process and what had been achieved through negotiations before they stopped on the Syrian track.

President Assad noted that Syria, which has played a great role in launching the process, "is keen on realizing peace in line with the agreed-upon principles and resolutions of the international legitimacy."

Lieberman expressed understanding of Syria's attitude toward the peace process.

Earlier in the day, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa reviewed with the delegation conditions in the region and the deadlock the Middle East peace process has reached as a result of the Israeli "government's intransigent stances."