DAMASCUS, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday described her talks with President Bashar al-Assad as productive, saying "we came in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace."

"Our visit to Syria was very necessary based on Baker- Hamilton Committee recommendations on Iraq and on the determination of Head of the House Foreign Affairs to visit Syria; Mrs. Pelosi told a news conference with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem.

She added "the US delegation talks in Damascus concentrated on the necessity of achieving peace in the Middle East, combating terrorism and on regional issues", stressing that peace in the Middle East is of priority for the American people, the region and the world.

Mrs. Pelosi expressed relief over President al-Assad's reassurances made to the US delegation that Syria was ready to resume peace process in the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, for his part, underlined Syria's readiness to engage in dialogue, based on mutual respect, renewing Syria's commitment to achieve the just and comprehensive peace based on Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab lands including the Syrian Golan.

"Differences in viewpoints between Syria and the US was because of the absence of dialogue and because Syria lives in this region which witnesses disorder," Minister Moallem said, describing the visit as a contribution to narrowing the gap of those differences.

"Syria was ready to realize a just and comprehensive peace according to the Arab peace initiative," he reiterated.

On the Palestinian Movement HAMAS, Mr. Maollem said it is a basic part of the political process in Palestine and it won the elections by majority of votes.

Regarding Iraq, the Syrian Minister added "we explained to the US delegation the measures taken by Syria to prevent any infiltration along Syrian-Iraqi borers', noting to the cooperation between Syrian and Iraqi committees in this regard.

On Lebanon, Minister Moallem said Syria aspires to hold best relations with brotherly Lebanon based on encouraging the Lebanese parties for dialogue to reach national accordance, denying any arms' smuggle from Syria to Lebanon.

"This visit paves the way for a constructive dialogue in future to hold best relations between the Syrian and American peoples," Foreign Minister added. (SANA)