DAMASCUS, Aug 14 (AFP) - A US Congressional delegation met Saturday with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the situation in Iraq, terrorism and the Middle East peace process, the SANA news agency reported.
The president and the US lawmakers led by Christopher Shays, a Republican from Connecticut, discussed repercussions of the Iraq conflict on neighboring states as well as bilateral issues, the official news agency added.
Speaking as they were leaving Beirut after a 48-hour visit to Lebanon, Shays said the fact-finding mission would press Assad to withdraw Syria's troops from neighbouring Lebanon.
"We know they have gone from 30,000 to 16,000, but you still have 16,000 foreign troops in your country and we hope for the Lebanese that they will be able to see that become zero," he said.
He added: "We will talk with President Assad about the Syrian government's interference in Lebanon ... and we will be discussing our concerns about weapons of mass destruction in the region, the situation at the border between Syria and Iraq, and the support of extremists by the Syrian government."
The US delegation also includes fellow Republicans Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland and Mark Kennedy of Minnesota, as well as Democrats Betty McCollum (Minnesota) and Rush Holt (New Jersey).
Assad said in June that Syrian troops would not withdraw from Lebanon before a final Middle East peace settlement is reached and Israel is no longer a threat.
Syria dominates its smaller neighbour politically, having the final say in the appointment of the president, prime minister and most MPs.
Damascus is also closely linked to the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah, and is routinely blamed by Israel for any attack on its troops in the disputed border region.
The United States and several European countries have been pressing Damascus to withdraw from Lebanon and the US Congress has passed the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, which calls on Syria to end what it terms the occupation of Lebanon.
Lebanese press reports said meetings with Lebanese officials were strained, especially with President Emile Lahoud and Foreign Minister Jean Obeid.
Lebanese officials resented "American hostility towards the Lebanese Hezbollah," the daily An-Nahar reported, adding: "Coordination between Lebanon and Syria has led to the creation of a stability zone, contrary to what is happening in the rest of the region."
US President George W. Bush imposed sanctions against Syria in May, accusing it of backing terrorists, seeking to produce weapons of mass destruction, undermining the stabilization of Iraq and occupying Lebanon militarily.