SYRIA: Ignoring White House, U.S. House Speaker Pelosi meets Syria's Assad

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday (April 4), against the wishes of the White House, to urge Syria to help stabilise Iraq and stop supporting Washington's adversaries in the Middle East. Pelosi sat next to Assad in front of cameras before starting a meeting at his hilltop palace overlooking Damascus. Pelosi earlier held talks with Syrian Foreign Minster Walid al-Moualem and Vice-President Farouq al-Shara. The White House has described her visit as a bad idea. A member of Pelosi's delegation said she would raise Syria's suspected support for anti-U.S. rebels in Iraq and its backing for Palestinian movement Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Syrian officials said Damascus wanted to help Washington achieve an "honourable withdrawal" from Iraq but in return, the United States must press Israel to return the Golan Heights, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Pelosi, on a Middle East tour, said on Monday (April 2) she had "no illusions but great hope" for the talks which she said would focus on the fight against terrorism, Iraq and Lebanon. The White House has condemned Pelosi's plans to visit Syria and meet Assad, whom the United States has accused of helping destabilise the region, saying it sent the wrong message to the Syrian leader. Pelosi has shrugged off the criticism, saying it was a good opportunity to gather the facts and build confidence. The United States withdrew its ambassador from Damascus shortly after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in February 2005.

ITN Source | April 4, 2007

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