Jeffrey D. Feltman, the acting U.S Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs told the al-Sharq al-Awsat daily that relations between the United States and Syria are improving, but there are still disagreement regarding Hizbullah. “Relations with Syria are getting out of the deep freeze which prevailed since 2005… we moved to a new phase.” The key issue that caused the freeze of the two countries’ relations was the Syrian support for the Lebanese Shiite group Hizbullah.
Feltman said, “we do not agree with Syria on the nature of Hizbullah. Syria defends Hizbullah and we consider it a terrorist organization.” Besides Syria’s policies towards the Shiite group, Feltman stressed, “there is a possibility of real cooperation on issues of bilateral interest.”
