Rice and Syrian foreign minister meet

Hello. I'm Kristin Volk on this Thursday, the third day of May 2007 with a UPI top news headline. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is meeting with Syria's foreign minister today. This is the first high-level talks between the two countries in years. A U.S. government official says the representatives will discuss Iraqi security issues. Now, a meeting between the U.S. and Iran appears less certain. Neither side has commented publicly on any immediate arrangements. U.S. lawmakers are not happy that Iraqi politicians are considering a summer break. The Iraq parliament's recess would begin this July and happen without Baghdad politicians reaching key agreements. These agreements would have to do with easing sectarian tensions. Lawmakers say a break would send a very bad signal to the world and stall progress on issues that deserve immediate attention. Military analysts say a pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq could engulf the Middle East into a war that would rage for years. They say a premature withdrawal could trigger sectarian violence throughout the region. And Al-Qaeda could then use Iraq as a terrorist hub. Congressional Democrats and Republicans are working on a new war-spending bill to replace the one vetoed by President Bush. That bill called for all troops to be withdrawn next year. The President of Afghanistan is expressing anger over the number of civilians killed in U.S.-led military operations in his country. At least 51 civilians died in clashes this week in western Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai (Haw-Mihd Kahr-Z-eye) says the deaths are a heavy burden and he's not happy about it. Civilian deaths are occurring as U.S.-led and NATO forces are battling thousands of Taliban fighters. Thanks for watching today's headline. Check out upi.com tomorrow our weekly report from the White House.

YouTube | May 3, 2007