Rice Talks Iraq With Top Syrian Official

Secretary Of State Says Rare U.S.-Syria Meeting Focused On Iraq Security

(CBS/AP)  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she raised the issue of foreign fighters entering Iraq from Syria in talks with Syria's foreign minister Thursday but "didn't lecture him" in the first high-level meeting in years between the two countries.

Rice described her half-hour with Syria's Walid Moallem on the sidelines of a major regional conference on Iraq as "professional" and "businesslike."

It was such a delicate diplomatic moment that there wasn't even a photo op, reports CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar.

As he left the meeting, the Syrian foreign minister was mobbed, adds MacVicar. They talked about Iraq, he said, and relations between the two countries. The Syrians say they hope this is a new beginning.

Just before secretary Rice's meeting with Syria, the U.S. military acknowledged that Syria has clamped down on foreign fighters infiltrating Iraq, adds CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

"There has been some movement by the Syrians," said Maj. Gen. William Caldwell. "There has been a reduction in the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq" for more than a month.

It's been five months since the Iraq Study Group urged the Bush administration to begin talking to Syria and Iran "with urgency" and "without preconditions," reports Martin. The group reasoned that diplomacy could only help America get out the Iraq War sooner.

But the Bush administration has shunned Syria, accusing it of fueling tensions in Iraq and Lebanon — and it assailed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her visit last month to Damascus.

"There was an opportunity to talk about the problem of foreign fighters — a major source of the suicide bombings. I thought it was a good opportunity to talk to the foreign minister about it," Rice said after the meeting.

"I didn't lecture him, and he didn't lecture me," Rice said.

She said she was not seeking a similar meeting with Iran's foreign minister.

The Iraqi government is pressing for talks between Rice and Iran's foreign minister, saying Washington's conflict with the government in Tehran is fueling instability in Iraq.

Rice and the Iranian "said hello, that's about it," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, although both American and Iranian officials had earlier spoken favorably of a possible meeting.

Rice's meeting with Moallem marked the first such high-level talks since the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria denies it had anything to do with the killing, but U.S. and European officials have since shunned the Damascus government.

Rice said the talks were limited to Iraqi security. "I made clear we don't want to have a difficult relationship with Syria, but we need to have some basis for a better relationship."

Syria's official news agency SANA said Rice and Moallem discussed "the situation in Iraq and the need to achieve security and stability in that country" and the need to develop U.S.-Syrian ties "in a way that serves the achievement of peace, security and stability in the region."

Baghdad and the United States hope Thursday and Friday's conference of nearly 50 nations at this Egyptian Red Sea resort will rally strong international support — particularly from Arab nations — for an ambitious plan to stabilize Iraq.

The United States pressed hard in the weeks before the conference to get Arab countries' participation and urge them to forgive Iraq's billions of dollars of debt — and it was with that request that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki opened the conference.

But Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Saud al-Faisal, made no immediate public pledge, telling the conference only that his country "has expressed its readiness to alleviate some of the debts on Iraq."

Al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia was negotiating the issue with Iraq "in line with the regulations and bases of the Paris Club" — which calls for forgiving 80 percent of Iraq's debts.

Iraqi and U.S. officials had said Saudi Arabia privately had already committed to forgiving 80 percent of Iraq's $17 billion debt.

The conference aims in part to overcome differences between al-Maliki's Shiite-led government and Sunni Arab nations, which are demanding that the Iraqi government ensure greater participation by Sunni Arabs in Iraq's political process.

Al-Maliki pledged to institute reforms to boost Sunni participation but said forgiving Iraq of its debts was the only way the country could rebuild.

"We call on all the friends and brothers participating in this conference to forgive Iraq all its debts in order to enable it to start the projects," he said.

Iraq made clear that it wants to see a meeting between Iran and the U.S. Iraq has offered to mediate between the two, an aide to al-Maliki told the Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. The U.S accuses Iran of fueling Iraq's violence by arming and backing militants there, a charge the government in Tehran denies.

Rice has said she was willing to meet Iran's Manouchehr Mottaki, after years of accusations and name-calling between the nations. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had also expressed interest in such a meeting.

But their contacts Thursday were limited to brief exchange over lunch, when Mottaki entered the room with the Arabic greeting, "As-salama aleikum," or "Peace be upon you," according to an Iraqi official who was at the meeting.

Rice replied, "Hello," then added to Mottaki, "Your English is better than my Arabic," the official told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity to give details of the closed lunch.

[ajmarine1]

booyaa_77,

"I was drunk."

You were on more like a acid, LSD, and PCP trip; a bad one at that.

[Joelran]

Wait wait wait....
Nancy Pelosi talks to the Syrians: Right wingnuts scream Treason.
Ms. rice tries it: "My God, she is a Diplomatic Genius!"

Sad....

[booyaw_77]

I missed the Republican debates too. ***.

[booyaw_77]

"How is booyaw_77 going to find out where another anonymous poster lives ?"

Oh man. I'm sorry guys. I was drunk.

[bluestardad]

NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE HERE!

According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted in June, 52 percent of Americans now believe the President deliberately distorted intelligence to make a case for war. In an Ipsos Public Affairs poll, commissioned by AfterDowningStreet.org and completed October 9, 50 percent said that if Bush lied about his reasons for going to war Congress should consider impeaching him. The President's deceit is not only an abuse of power; it is a federal crime. Specifically, it is a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, which prohibits conspiracies to defraud the United States.

http://www.democrats.com/node


/12313

http://www.thenation.com/d
oc
/2
0051114/delavega

If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your ELECTED OFFICIAL and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Th


e House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

info@go


p.com Here is the Republican Party email address too!

[e-mail] Here is the Democratic Party email address also!

[tbweb]

RandalDS wrote:

He's a nut. Poor guy. There must be a free computer for use at his homeless shelter.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 11:51 PM : May 03, 2007

More like at his daycare center.
Posted by RandalDS at 12:44 AM : May 04, 2007

Well it's way past 3am and dude never showed up! LOL I had something waiting for his a s s too! Maybe his spell didn't work and he blew his own a s s up trying to get me! He can't even get his own magic to work! LOL

[karlimhof]

Rice and the Iranian "said hello, that's about it," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack,


Good begining for a dynamic Bushit diplomacy!

I know it's just a start but - wow - I didn't think Rice would be so audacious.....

Seriously, it's hard to imagine, when our men and women are in mortal danger,that our "government"
refuses to take the steps needed to bring in Iraqs' neighbors and hammer out a settlement. We all know the Shia majority must make more concessions to the Sunnis in order to stop the violence. By refusing to agressively follow this diplomacy our troops, kept in the middle of the civil war, are the ones who suffer.

[tomflint69]

yes, a way could be to give carrots to Iraqi neighbours and attack Iraq from all directions. Yes I eat apples and do mathematica.

[randalds]

He's a nut. Poor guy. There must be a free computer for use at his homeless shelter.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 11:51 PM : May 03, 2007

More like at his daycare center.

[iceman_1960]

"booyaw_77 wrote:

Or i'll be knock'n at yer door at 3 o'clock in the morn'n. K?

What do ya got to say about it?"

Posted by booyaw_77 at 07:43 PM : May 03, 2007

"Only a stupid Witch needs to wait until 3am! You believe in that nonsense? You are sicker than I thought! You are one sick puppy booyaw_77, that's what I have to say about that! Shut up loser! Come knock on my door at 3am and see whats waiting for you! Go find your medicine and take it! LOL *poof* "

Posted by tbweb at 08:04 PM : May 03, 2007

That was a funny exchange.

How is booyaw_77 going to find out where another anonymous poster lives ?

He's a nut. Poor guy. There must be a free computer for use at his homeless shelter.

[micma-2009]

The Iraq study group came out with it's report recomending that Bush sit down and talk to Syria and Iran six months ago. Bush and Co. are just now beginning to come around to the reality that has been laid out for them for months. There cannot and will not be any peace or stability in Iraq unless you bring it's neighbors to the negotiating table and give them a stake in a possitive outcome.

[ajmarine1]

netadmin 1,

"No way-you go-we go"

I've been fighting with myself to say the same thing ever since I heard about it.

[netadmin1-2009]

AJ - Real Patriot - I am pretty reserved - but if this Iraq Congress goes on a two month vacation - I would hope everyone in our government would stand up and say - No way - you go - we go. Dad gum it.

[toldyouso21]

Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Robert Byrd of West Virginia proposed Thursday a measure to repeal the 2002 resolution authorizing force in Iraq. Under the bill, Bush would be required in October to seek Congress' blessing to continue operations in Iraq.

%u201CIf the president will not bring himself to accept reality, it is time for Congress to bring reality to him,%u201D said Clinton, a presidential contender for 2008.

great idea--then with the Democratic majority in the House and Senate--the President would face no authority to have the war--but also could not keep doing a lot that he has under the umbrella of a war time President. Why, Hilary, I am pleasantly surprised that you came up with this!! LOL

[ajmarine1]

realpatriot1,

You could be right. You would think after awhile, everyone involved would get tired of the bloodshed and find away to stop this without just saying, "We give up."

[netadmin1-2009]

boo - man - I don't post often, but you have to go man - you are an absolute disgrace to this forum and to this nation. Go somewhere - just go away.

[realpatriot1]

AJMarine1,

Rice would have gone to the Conference even if Pelosi hadn't met with the Syrians. However, I don't think Bush would've broken the ice with the Syrians without having been shown up a little. Someone had to give him a nudge and I think her taking the initiative that he wouldn't offended his prescious little ego.

He made a point of singling her and the other Democrats out for criticism but it was a bipartison delegation that went to Syria.

I don't claim to have any special knowledge of what goes on diplomatically but it seems to me that it was responsive given the fact that the White House chose to notify the media in advance.
They didn't do that when they met with the insurgents a few months back.

They don't want to call too much attention to their double standard so they initially did a brush by in front of the media and when they met didn't allow the usual picture taking.

Call me cynical but I've seen how this White House politically choreographs everything they do. All White Houses do to a large degree, but they've taken it to new heights, in my opinion.

[grazinggoat]

How come, when Democrats and "Liberals" suggested doing what Rice is doing TODAY, all the Fascist on these boards called them names, called them defeatest or Traitors? Suddenly it's okay huh? Maybe and thats a very big maybe, we've pressured this bunch of Southern Nazi's into settling this thing after all!!! Sieg Heil Y'all
Posted by MCVet at 08:14 AM : May 03, 2007

-Matter of fact MCVet we always said what the Iraq Study Group always said. But the Walking-Liar administration is above all recommandations. He's inspired by God and this is a syndrom old alcoholics, and some nut Evangelists manifest pretty often.

[tbweb]

booyaw_77 wrote:

Or i'll be knock'n at yer door at 3 o'clock in the morn'n. K?

What do ya got to say about it?

Posted by booyaw_77 at 07:43 PM : May 03, 2007

Only a stupid Witch needs to wait until 3am! You believe in that nonsense? You are sicker than I thought! You are one sick puppy booyaw_77, that's what I have to say about that! Shut up loser! Come knock on my door at 3am and see whats waiting for you! Go find your medicine and take it! LOL *poof*

[radiob-2009]

Join the fight.. fer gas.
Posted by booyaw_77 at


The boycott is to lower prices not only on fuel but all items affected by the price.