Obama gets Damascus invite
Syrian president invites Barack Obama to diplomatic summit
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By James Christie. |  |
Friday, 03, Jul 2009 08:59
The president of Syria has outlined his intent to invite US president Barack Obama to a diplomatic summit in Damascus, it has emerged.
President Obama last month confirmed he would send an ambassador to Syria for the first time in four years, and new remarks by Bashar al Assad have revealed the improving relations between the two nations.
The US hopes to deepen its engagement with Syria so as to improve the possibility of stability in its neighbour Iran.
And speaking to Sky News, Syrian president Bashar al Assad confirmed he is keen to meet with his American counterpart.
"We would like to welcome him in Syria, definitely. I am very clear about this," he explained.
Asked whether a meeting in the near future was possible, the president replied: "That depends on him. I will ask you to convey the invitation to him."
He added that "any summit between any two presidents is something positive".
"That doesn't mean you have to agree about everything. But when you discuss, this is how we can close the gap.
"It's normal to have differences between different cultures, between different nations and states.
"But I think the United States has a special role as the greatest power. I think President Obama should visit as many countries as he can in order to make these dialogues. And of course that includes Syria."
The last US ambassador to Syria was withdrawn by the Bush administration in 2005 in protest at the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.