US ambassador optimistic over Middle East peace

The US ambassador to Lebanon, David Satterfield on Wednesday expressed his hope for the start of negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks as soon as possible.

Following his meeting on Wednesday with the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, Satterfield said, "our" optimism is based on a basic conviction that all sides in the region want to resume negotiations and reach successful results very soon.

He added, "We make all our efforts: The US President Bill Clinton and the US Secretary of State to achieve this very objective." Satterfield was asked whether the resumption of negotiations will take place very soon and he said, "Hopefully, the negotiations will start very soon."

He remarked that he had discussed with Berri the mission of the assistant director of the US Agency for International Development, currently visiting Lebanon, to discuss programs of development aid carried out by the agency.

He continued, "We see the negotiations started on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks very soon, and simultaneously, and a progress to be attained. We hope the negotiators will achieve progress and the negotiations to deal with important issues for both Lebanon and Syria."