Top U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen met with President Bashar Assad for two hours Sunday and left the country without commenting on the outcome of the talks. There was no government comment on the visit of Roed-Larsen, who arrived late Saturday, and journalists were not allowed access to him, The Associated Press reported. In a statement issued in Beirut, Lebanon, U.N. spokesman Nejib Friji said the Roed-Larsen discussed with Assad "all relevant issues and they will continue their dialogue." Roed-Larsen later left to brief U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on his talks, Friji said. Annan instructed Roed-Larsen last week to leave quickly for Syria to meet Assad about Lebanon without disclosing his mission.
