Syria-U.S. Friendship Blossoms, Cautiously

CBS News, here

"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (at left) on Thursday praised President Obama's ardor for dialogue and told two U.S. lawmakers his country is hoping for better relations with Washington. 

Sen. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., and Rep. Tim Walz D-Minn., arrived in Damascus Thursday in a first visit by a U.S. delegation since the U.S. voted to renew sanctions against this Mediterranean country earlier this month. 

"Assad and the U.S. delegates discussed bilateral relations between Syria and the United States and the need for working on removing the hurdles that block their advance in a way that would serve the strengthening of stability in the Middle East," a presidential statement said. 

"Talks also dealt with the signs of détente that the world witnessed lately and the necessity of investing this chance by all parties for maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world," it added... 

U.S. special envoy to the region George Mitchell is also expected in Damascus early in June for talks with Assad on Washington's vision for peace in the Middle East. ...

Assad, the statement said, applauded Mr. Obama's, "adoption of dialogue as a way for treating difficult issues," — a reference to years of sour relations with former President George W. Bush — and underscored the need for a "precise and rational vision" to solve the decades old Mideast crisis. .."