Syria Hails 'improved Ties' With U.S.

DAMASCUS, Sept 23 (AFP) - Syrian state radio hailed Thursday what it described as a "marked improvement" in ties with the United States after a series of top-level encounters this month.
The upbeat comments followed a meeting Wednesday in New York between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his Syrian counterpart Faruq al-Shara, which the radio said took place in a "positive atmosphere."
That meeting, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, was the first between the two men since May 2003 and followed talks in Syria earlier this month between US Middle East envoy William Burns and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The opening of the dialogue has "led to a marked improvement in Syrian-American relations", official Damascus Radio said in its daily commentary.
Relations reached a new low in May, when Washington imposed sanctions on Syria, claiming it was supporting terrorism and undermining US efforts to stabilize and rebuild Iraq.
Nor has Washington's continued support for Syria's arch-enemy Israel helped thaw relations.
Damascus Radio accused the Israeli "lobby in the United States as well as parties within the American administration of having worked to degrade Syrian-US relations".
Earlier this month Washington sponsored a UN Security resolution targeting Syria which called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces in Lebanon -- a move which this week saw Damascus start Tuesday to pull some troops out of its western neighbour.
Powell said after his meeting with Shara on Wednesday that he saw a new attitude emerging from Syria, but was waiting for action as well as words, regarding neighbouring Iraq.
"I hope that the Syrians now understand the need for all of us to do as much we can in a tripartite manner -- Syria, the Iraqi interim government and the coalition -- to stop illicit, improper traffic across that border," he said.
"It's a tough military mission and a tough political mission, but I sense a new attitude from the Syrians, but of course, it all depends on actions, not just attitudes," Powell said.
A US delegation is expected in Damascus later this month to discuss concrete ways of securing the border, across which Washington alleges militants are crossing to destabilise the interim Iraqi administration.
He said his conversation with Shara was "a good, open, candid" and "rather positive discussion" that focused on a range of US concerns about Syrian policy on Iraq, Lebanon and its support for alleged terrorist groups.
Powell described as "positive" Syria's recent redeployment of troops from bases south of Beirut, portrayed by Israel as a cosmetic reaction to American pressure.
But he said the move did not go far enough in meeting UN Security Council demands for foreign interference in Lebanon to end.