Senior U.S. Military Officials Visiting Syria

[Gozo]

DAMASCUS, Syria - A senior American military delegation arrived Aug. 12 in Syria for talks on regional security, the second such visit in nearly two months, a U.S. diplomatic source said.
Maj. Gen. Michael Moeller of U.S. Central Command (CentCom) is heading the delegation that also includes Frederic Hof, the deputy to U.S. Middle East special envoy George Mitchell, who was in Damascus last month.
"The focus is on continuing dialogue concerning opportunities for cooperation on regional security matters," the U.S. source said, without elaborating.
A U.S. military delegation held talks with Syrian officials in Damascus in June - the first visit of its kind since 2004 - pro-government media and the American embassy said at the time.
Al-Watan newspaper said the June 13 visit came "at the request of the Americans" and focused on "ways to begin cooperation on security matters between the two parties in Iraq." However, the U.S. embassy did not mention Iraq.
"Several similar requests in previous years were rejected by Syria because of the absence of the necessary political will for such cooperation," Al-Watan said.
Since coming to office in January, U.S. President Barack Obama has moved cautiously to improve relations with Syria, mindful of its influential role in the region.
Mitchell has been on two trips to Damascus in recent weeks to meet President Bashar al-Assad, most recently July 26 when their talks focused on efforts to restart the Arab-Israeli peace process.
Mitchell is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Syria since Obama took office, and his trip was preceded by several delegations, including lawmakers.
U.S.-Syrian relations were strained under the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush, amid charges by Washington that Syria was interfering in Lebanon and allowing fighters to infiltrate into Iraq.
On June 24, Washington announced its decision to send an ambassador back to Damascus to replace the envoy who was recalled in 2005 after the assassination in Beirut of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.
The killing was widely blamed on Syria although Damascus has steadfastly denied any involvement.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 12 Aug 2009 09:29

Ofschoon ik van mening ben, dat het met Arabische naties moeilijk zaken doen is op het gebied van vrijheden en vrede & verhoudingen, vind ik de inspanningen van de VS wel positief. Ik ben alleen bang dat men Obama net zo hard the finger zullen geven; ze hebben het niet voor niets steeds over de de US Government naast The Bush Administration of Clinton Administration, etc. Ze moeten au géneral de Yanks niet, op een aantal (zeer weinig) landen na.

[Lex]

DAMASCUS, Syria - A senior American military delegation arrived Aug. 12 in Syria for talks on regional security, the second such visit in nearly two months, a U.S. diplomatic source said.
Maj. Gen. Michael Moeller of U.S. Central Command (CentCom) is heading the delegation that also includes Frederic Hof, the deputy to U.S. Middle East special envoy George Mitchell, who was in Damascus last month.
"The focus is on continuing dialogue concerning opportunities for cooperation on regional security matters," the U.S. source said, without elaborating.
A U.S. military delegation held talks with Syrian officials in Damascus in June - the first visit of its kind since 2004 - pro-government media and the American embassy said at the time.
Al-Watan newspaper said the June 13 visit came "at the request of the Americans" and focused on "ways to begin cooperation on security matters between the two parties in Iraq." However, the U.S. embassy did not mention Iraq.
"Several similar requests in previous years were rejected by Syria because of the absence of the necessary political will for such cooperation," Al-Watan said.
Since coming to office in January, U.S. President Barack Obama has moved cautiously to improve relations with Syria, mindful of its influential role in the region.
Mitchell has been on two trips to Damascus in recent weeks to meet President Bashar al-Assad, most recently July 26 when their talks focused on efforts to restart the Arab-Israeli peace process.
Mitchell is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Syria since Obama took office, and his trip was preceded by several delegations, including lawmakers.
U.S.-Syrian relations were strained under the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush, amid charges by Washington that Syria was interfering in Lebanon and allowing fighters to infiltrate into Iraq.
On June 24, Washington announced its decision to send an ambassador back to Damascus to replace the envoy who was recalled in 2005 after the assassination in Beirut of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.
The killing was widely blamed on Syria although Damascus has steadfastly denied any involvement.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 12 Aug 2009 09:29