On October 20, The New York Sun reported that the National Salvation Front (NSF) was planning on opening an office in Washington. The report added that representatives from the NSF had met with National Security Council Officials on August 24.
Two NSF representatives, Husam al-Dairi and Ammar Abdulhamid, met again with NSC officials on October 26. According to an NSF source, they discussed mechanisms of democratic change in Syria. (Arabic. Levant News, 10/27/06). The report added that the NSC officials said that the White House welcomes the opening of the NSF office in DC.
Moreover, an unnamed State Department official told UPI that the US administration does not mind the NSF opening an office in DC and that the US "is ready for dialogue with any Syrian gorup or party that respects the rule of law and the principles of democracy and the principles of peaceful and legal opposition." (Arabic. Levant News, 10/27/06).
The NSF's Abdel Halim Khaddam told AKI that the Front does not have any hang-ups about talking to the US or the international community as it is all in the interest of the Syrian people and its future. He also said he was not worried about how the NSF meeting with US officials might be used for regime spin or propaganda. (Arabic. AKI, 10/30/06). He added that the NSF is interested in making its case both in the international and Arab arenas. He stressed that the NSF would continue its diplomatic activity to explain the plight of the Syrian people, adding that the Front "welcomes the understanding of the NSF's goals by any foreign state, Arab or Western."
Khaddam was also received by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Khaddam, who confirmed the meeting took place, reiterated his belief that the regime is "neither reformable nor viable." (Arabic. Aljazeera.net, 10/22/06).