Syrians discuss 'issues' in Washington

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mikdad met with a variety of high-level officials in Washington to discuss renewed and improving bilateral relations.

The official Syrian Arab News Agency said Mikdad was in Washington on an official visit at the invitation of the U.S. State Department.

Mikdad met with Jacob Lew, deputy secretary of state for management and resources, to discuss "regional issues of mutual interest," the SANA report said.

U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley described the meetings as part of a "continuing dialogue" opened with the Syrian government in part due to the efforts by acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.

"We'd like to use these encounters, whether they are in Damascus or here in Washington or in New York, obviously, to increase our understanding on both sides," said Crowley.

Washington sees Damascus as a regional player in terms of affairs concerning Iraq, Lebanon and the broader Middle East peace initiative.

Crowley went on to describe "a number of common issues" and shared interests between Damascus and Washington, but stopped short of offering specifics on the talks with Mikdad.

"I mean, all I can say really is we have a wide range of common interests between Syria and the United States in the region," he said.