Syrian media reported that a delegation from the U.S. Congress arrived in the capital of Syria, Damascus, on Friday under the framework of an official visit. This is the first visit of this kind in many years.
The delegation includes Cory Mills, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Merlynn Stutzman, a member of the House Appropriations Committee representing the USA. During the visit, Cory Mills observed the Jobar neighborhood in Damascus. The purpose of the delegation's trip is to assess the current situation in Syria and explore the prospects for strengthening Syrian-American relations.
According to source statements, the main topics of the visit include discussions on the easing or complete lifting of U.S. sanctions against Syria, as well as humanitarian issues. Syria has been suffering from crises for several years now, and any step from the U.S. side in this direction may be directed towards discussing the provision of humanitarian aid and lifting sanctions.
According to the chairman of the Syrian-American Council, Farouk Bilal, members of Congress wish to study the Syrian situation after the fall of the Assad regime. Such visits contribute to strengthening diplomatic contacts between Damascus and Washington. He also noted that there was previously a meeting between members of the U.S. Congress and the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal Mikdad, at a security conference in Munich in mid-February of last year.
