US security official in Damascus

The US undersecretary of state for diplomatic security affairs, David Carpenter, held talks on Wednesday with Syrian officials at the headquarters of the Syrian Foreign Ministry relating to bilateral relations.

In a statement, the US embassy in Damascus said Carpenter's visit was routine.

The visit of the US official came after Syrian students had attacked the US embassy in Damascus in January this year during a demonstration in protest against the US strikes against Iraq.

The attack caused a diplomatic crisis between Damascus and Washington, ended by a pledge made by Damascus to take strong security measures to protect US interests in Syria and to provide compensation for the damage caused by the attackers.