US 'concerned' over reports of meeting between Syrian President, UAE foreign minister

Washington [US], November 10 : The United States is concerned by reports of a meeting between Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in Damascus, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Tuesday (local time).
"We are concerned by reports of this meeting and the signal it sends. This administration will not express any support for efforts to normalise or to rehabilitate Bashar al-Assad, who is a brutal dictator," Price said in a press briefing.
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed on Tuesday met Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in Damascus where they reviewed the prospects of enhancing bilateral relations between the two nations, according to UAE's state news agency WAM.
The latest developments in the Middle East and Syria, in addition to a number of regional and international issues of common interest, featured high during the meeting, which was held in the presence of Dr Faisal Mekdad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Syria, Mansour Fadlallah Azzam, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, and Ali Mohammed bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, WAM reported.
The Syrian president reciprocated the greetings and underlined the strong bonds between the two fraternal nations. He also commended the objective positions adopted by the UAE, WAM reported.
For his part, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah underlined the UAE's keenness on ensuring the security, stability and unity of Syria, and its support for all efforts made to end the Syrian crisis, consolidate stability in the country and meet the aspirations of the Syrian people for development, progress and prosperity, the news agency added.