SYRIA: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and Vice-President Farouq al-Shara

Record ID: 278623

  • Title: SYRIA: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and Vice-President Farouq al-Shara
  • Date: 4th April 2007
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN PELOSI AND AL-SHARA
  • Embargoed: 19th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4YHN9TCJTYKKZAZJU1RT0FTC6
  • Story Text: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held talks with Syrian officials on Wednesday (April 4) against White House wishes, to urge Syria to help stabilise Iraq and stop supporting Washington's adversaries in the Middle East.
    Pelosi, the third most senior U.S. official, met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and the Syrian vice-President, Farouq al-Shara. She later also met with President Bashar al-Assad.
    The White House has described her visit as a bad idea. 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.
    Several U.S. lawmakers have visited Damascus and met Assad in the last few months after the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended a stepped-up diplomatic effort involving Syria and Iran to help calm the violence in Iraq.
    The Bush administration has resisted that recommendation.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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