By JERUSALEM POST STAFFSyria's president told a visiting US senator Wednesday his country wants to develop relations with the United States after several years of tensions.
Bashar Assad's talks with Sen. Benjamin Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, focused on developing bilateral relations "through serious and positive dialogue based on mutual respect and joint interest in finding just solutions to the region's problems," Syria's official news agency reported.
His visit comes after President Barack Obama offered to engage countries that had been at odds with the US He is to be followed by two more congressional delegations to Damascus this week, including one headed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry.
The Syrian news agency said talks also dealt with Middle East developments and "what could be done to boost peacemaking efforts in the Middle East, in addition to the need to combat terrorism."
Cardin was quoted by SANA as emphasizing the importance of continuing dialogue between Damascus and Washington.RECOMMENDED STORIESUS military sending two destroyers to region, Netanyahu to convene meeting with defense officialsJUNE 12, 2025Israel trying to persuade US to join in continuing strikes on Iran, sources tell 'Post'JUNE 13, 2025Vacation ruse, phantom trip, hostage decoy: How Israel misled Tehran before Iran strikeJUNE 13, 2025Mossad leads series of secret attack operations in heart of IranJUNE 13, 2025