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April 4, 2007

US House of Representatives Speaker Meets Syrian President
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16ECEEF:A6F02AD83191E16031B6A993AA8A78ED9574F7DCC14957C0 Nancy Pelosi says
President Bashar al-Assad assured her he is willing to hold peace
talks with Israel



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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meets with U.S. House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi at Ash-Shaeb presidential palace in Damascus, 04 Apr 2007The
speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, says
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has assured her he is willing to hold
peace talks with Israel.

Pelosi met Wednesday in Damascus with Mr. Assad - despite President
Bush's criticism of the visit. Pelosi says she delivered a message
from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to Mr. Assad that Israel was
ready for talks.

Tuesday, President Bush said meetings with President Assad lead Syria
to believe it is part of the mainstream. Mr. Bush said Syria is
sponsoring terrorism by allowing foreign fighters into Iraq.

But Pelosi has said it is important to hold a dialogue with Syria.
Pelosi - a Democrat from California - is the highest-ranking U.S.
official to visit Syria in years.

Earlier this week, a small group of lawmakers from Mr. Bush's
Republican party also met with Mr. Assad.

The bipartisan Iraq Study Group said the United States should open a
dialogue with Syria and Iran, but President Bush has refused to do so.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.


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