Jeffrey Feltman, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Near Eastern Affairs has reiterated his country’s stance that any dialogue held by the U.S with Syria will not be at the expense of Lebanon, the Pan Arab Al-Hayat newspaper reported Tuesday.

The former U.S ambassador to Lebanon was quoted by the paper on the sidelines of the “Al Manama dialogue” in which he participated.

“I observed through my reading of the policy statement of the Lebanese cabinet that all political factions agreed to rally behind an internal national agenda.

“I hope that the Lebanese start a new stage by attending to domestic affairs and stop thinking of what the Americans, Saudis or Syrians might think.

"The long time spent to form the new Lebanese Cabinet may have left a positive impact on the Lebanese because it might mean that the Lebanese have started to understand each other.

He described U.S-Syrian relations as “more normal than before at more than one level,” noting “several channels of dialogue are now open and several mutual formal visits were held which is positive and beneficial.

“What is important currently is that we started to speak to each other and not of each other which is better for us, the Syrians and the Lebanese.

“If the Lebanese are concerned of any dialogue with Syria, they must know that it would never be at their expense.

“Our dialogue will tackle controversial issue between the U.S and Syria so can we can build constructive relations with the Syrians.

“This does not mean at all that our differences with Syria were resolved or that they can be resolved overnight such as the deep differences with the Syrians regarding Hizbullah and Iran.

R.R.