A U.S. security delegation has arrived in Syria for talks on Syrian efforts to help curb the movement of foreign fighters into Iraq.
On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the delegation would follow up on a meeting with Syrian officials that took place in June.
The delegation is led by State Department official Fredric Hof, an aide to the U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell.
The Obama administration has been working to improve relations with Syria and advance the Middle East peace process. U.S. officials have held a series of meetings in recent months with their Syrian counterparts, and the United States announced in June it plans to reinstate its ambassador to Syria after a four-year absence.
The U.S. has long accused Syria of supporting Islamic militant groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, that the U.S. considers terrorist groups. Washington also has voiced concern about Syria's human rights record and its role in neighboring Lebanon.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
