High-level U.S. envoys visit Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria, March 7 (UPI) -- Two U.S. envoys Saturday visited Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, the first high-level contacts between the countries since 2005, officials said.

Jeffrey Feltman and Dan Shapiro were in Damascus meeting with Muallem, the BBC reported.

Feltman, a former U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, told reporters before the trip that he had "a long list" of issues to discuss with Syrian officials. The Syrian ambassador to Britain has indicated that the United States must factor in Arab concerns and aspirations as well as those of Israel in its Middle East policy, the BBC said.

The United States is most concerned about Syria's support for militant Palestinian Arab groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as well allegedly seeking covert nuclear activities, the British broadcaster said.

Also high on the U.S. agenda is Syria's alleged continued interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.