Mitchell to visit Syria next week for peace talks with al-Assad

Jan 16, 2010, 11:00 GMT

Damascus - US Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected in Damascus next week for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Western sources said Saturday.

Mitchell will discuss developments in the peace process with al-Assad, as well as bilateral relations and other regional issues, sources added.

This would be Mitchell's third visit to Damascus since he was appointed as US President Barack Obama's envoy to activate the peace process, especially with Syria and Palestine.

The London-based daily Asharq al-Awsat reported Saturday that Mitchell will arrive in the region without 'letters of guarantee' to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to renew negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Media reports said last week that Washington is drafting two letters of guarantee that Mitchell will present during his visit to the region for Palestinians and Israelis to help in renewing peace talks.

The paper quoted French sources as saying that during a series of meetings in Paris and Brussels, Mitchell did not reveal any new US plans for peace or an agenda that might help re-launching the negotiations.

After a meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner last Monday, Mitchell reaffirmed Washington's support for a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis.

However, both Mitchell and Kouchner declined to comment on the present state of Middle East peace negotiations.