Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday held talks with former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on the current situation in the Middle East, the official SANA news agency reported.

According to SANA, during the talks, the two sides focused on the general situation in the Mideast region, especially the current events in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

They also discussed prospects of economic cooperation between Syria and Germany, particularly the level of investment in the two countries, SANA said.

This was the second meeting between Assad and Schroeder in recent months. They met in June on the sidelines of an economic forum in Damascus.

In early December 2006, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also paid a brief visit to Damascus, during which he urged the Syrians to play a constructive role in helping stabilize Lebanon and promoting the peace process in the neighboring country.

Damascus has been isolated by Western powers since early 2005 over its alleged role in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Syria has denied any involvement although a UN probe has implicated senior Syrian officials in the killing.

The isolation, however, eased this summer as the Europeans are increasingly seeing Damascus as a key player in solving the complicated conflicts in the Middle East, observers said.

Source: Xinhua