Date : 05/06/2009
WASHINGTON, June 5 (KUNA) -- US special envoy George Mitchell is set to
visit Syria during his Middle East tour next week, the State Department
suggested Friday.
Ambassador Mitchell will travel to the region next week to help push
efforts to improve strained relations between the US and Syria, as part of an
ambitious effort by President Barack Obama to increase dialogue with the
Middle East.
State department spokesman PJ Crowley said that Ambassador Mitchells
Syrian visit "is a possibility but the arrangements for that are still being
worked." He confirmed to reporters that Mitchell has a travel visa for Syria,
and said he has no plans to meet with Hamas officials.
Mitchell leaves for Norway on Sunday, where he was expected to attend a
meeting of Palestinian aid donors, and then to see Israeli, Palestinian,
Jordanian and Egyptian officials in the region, the State Department said.
The State department spokesman also would not rule out a possible visit to
Beirut, following countrys upcoming elections, due Sunday.
The State department also confirmed US Secretary of state Hillary Clinton
will also be attending Group of Eight (G-8) meeting on Afghanistan-Pakistan in
Italy at the end of the month, alongside her Iranian diplomatic counterpart.
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