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Ankara – Turkey on Monday started its first-ever joint military training exercise with neighbouring Syria, the Turkish General Staff confirmed to the German Presse Agency dpa. The small-scale training exercises focussed on border protection and will last until Wednesday, said a spokesman for the General Staff.

Damascus  – US Acting Assistant Secretary for the Near East Jeffrey Feltman and another top US diplomat were to arrive later Saturday in Syria for what Feltman called a “long list” of concerns.

Damascus – The US embassy in Damascus is closing for one day on Thursday for security reasons, according to the embassy’s website.

Damascus – A Syrian court reduced the sentences for twelve political activists on Wednesday who had been handed six-year jail terms for “publishing false news and threatening Syria’s national morale.”

Damascus – Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Monday he did not believe the reported US commando raid in Syria would affect Israel.

Damascus – Syria on Monday condemned a helicopter-borne commando raid on a remote border village by US forces in which it said eight civilians, including four children, were killed.

Damascus – Damascus has called on Europe to be more politically engaged in the Middle East and to play a role that is parallel or complementary to the US role.

Beirut/Damascus – French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Monday highlighted France’s role in establishing diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria and played down the growing animosity between Israel and Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah movement.