The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Damascus

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband stressed Syria's importance in bringing stability to the Middle East ahead of a meeting here Tuesday with President Bashar al-Assad.

Miliband will meet al-Assad and other Syrian leaders in the first high-level British visit since the 2005 murder in Beirut of Lebanon's former premier Rafiq Hariri, in which Damascus has denied charges of involvement.

After arriving in Syria on Monday, he noted the country's "essential role" in stability in the region, state news agency SANA reported. Later, he told the BBC that it must decide how to use this influence.

"Syria has a big potential role to play in stability in the Middle East-it can be a force for stability or it can be a force for instability," Miliband told the British broadcaster from Damascus.

"Over the last 18 months I've been talking with the Syrian foreign minister about her (Syria's) responsibilities in the region, in respect of terrorism, in respect of Iraq, in respect of the Middle East peace process, and we've got the chance now to take those discussions further forward."