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| US envoy pushes peace in Damascus | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| US President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, is holding talks in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar Assad. | |
| Mr Mitchell has said Syria plays a key role in bringing peace to the region. | Mr Mitchell has said Syria plays a key role in bringing peace to the region. |
| The US State Department says he will be looking at ways to promote peace talks between Syria and Israel. | The US State Department says he will be looking at ways to promote peace talks between Syria and Israel. |
| Correspondents say the visit is not expected to bring a breakthrough, but Syrian officials are encouraged by Washington's new willingness to listen. | Correspondents say the visit is not expected to bring a breakthrough, but Syrian officials are encouraged by Washington's new willingness to listen. |
| Several other high-ranking US officials will also be in the Middle East in the next few days. | Several other high-ranking US officials will also be in the Middle East in the next few days. |
| Fresh start | Fresh start |
| Last month, Mr Mitchell became the highest-level US official to visit Damascus since 2005. | Last month, Mr Mitchell became the highest-level US official to visit Damascus since 2005. |
| After meeting the Syrian president, he will travel to Israel as part of efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. | After meeting the Syrian president, he will travel to Israel as part of efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. |
| Damascus is a major player in the region, because of its support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, its backing for Hezbollah in Lebanon, and its close links with Iran. | Damascus is a major player in the region, because of its support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, its backing for Hezbollah in Lebanon, and its close links with Iran. |
| In the past, this made Syria a pariah in the eyes of the Bush administration, which cut virtually all ties with Syria, the BBC's Natalia Antelava reports from Beirut. | In the past, this made Syria a pariah in the eyes of the Bush administration, which cut virtually all ties with Syria, the BBC's Natalia Antelava reports from Beirut. |
| But on the eve of Mr Mitchell's arrival in Damascus, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said he was looking forward to the visit as "the first step of dialogue", in what is rare public praise for Washington from a Syrian official. | But on the eve of Mr Mitchell's arrival in Damascus, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said he was looking forward to the visit as "the first step of dialogue", in what is rare public praise for Washington from a Syrian official. |
| He said Syria would lobby Mr Mitchell on the issue of the Golan Heights, a strategic mountainous area seized by Israel in 1967 which Syria wants back. | |
| Washington is a long way away from getting Damascus on its side, but for now at least, the atmosphere of hostility which dominated during the Bush administration seems to be a thing of the past, our correspondent says. | Washington is a long way away from getting Damascus on its side, but for now at least, the atmosphere of hostility which dominated during the Bush administration seems to be a thing of the past, our correspondent says. |