By IRNA,
London : Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Miliband is to visit Damascus for the first time next week to hold further talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Mouallem that have been going on for more than a year to improve relations.
“The agenda for those meetings has been cooperation on counter- terrorism, the Syrian role in Lebanon, the Syrian role in respect of Iraq, and the Syrian contribution to the Middle East peace process,” Miliband said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“In a significant way there has been an important change in the approach of the Syrian government, and notably the historic decision to exchange ambassadors with Lebanon and to recognise and establish diplomatic relations” with that country, he said.
The upcoming visit follows al-Mouallem visit to London two weeks ago, when a joint press conference was suddenly cancelled due to the US attack on Syria from Iraq which killed a number of Syrian civilians.
The Times newspaper suggested Thursday that Britain was offering Syria “sweeteners,” including “improved relations with the West, an end to US sanctions and the return of the Golan Heights.”
“Syria… has the potential to play a stabilizing role in the region,” Miliband said adding that he looked forward for further productive talks.
But the British foreign secretary also said it was “very, very important that Syria fulfills all its responsibilities, including those in respect to Hezbollah.”
It is “important that we find ways to play a constructive role in the future of the Middle East,” he said.