Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has met his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice at the United Nations for talks on Iraq, Lebanon, and the Middle East peace process, the official SANA news agency reported on Saturday. It said the meeting was held "following a request by the US secretary of state and on the sidelines of a meeting by the international Quartet for the Middle East."

SANA said Turkish-mediated indirect talks launched in May between Syria and Israel were also discussed. It said Rice "voiced US satisfaction towards positive events that have taken place in the region and the readiness of the United States to contribute to comprehensive peace" in the Middle East.