Text 28091, 73 rader
Skriven 2007-04-03 15:59:32 av Alan Hess
     Kommentar till en text av Jeff Binkley
Ärende: House
=============
Whilst masticating on <Mar 31 07>, Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
wrote to All:

Here's another article on Pelosi's planned trip.  This one mentions that three
Republican representatives just went to Syria.  Syria seems to be a popular
destination.

*****************

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.pelosi03apr03,0,2612515.st
ory?coll=bal-pe-asection

From the Baltimore Sun
Pelosi's Syria trip riles White House


Associated Press

April 3, 2007

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shrugged off White House
criticism yesterday of her coming trip to Damascus, saying she had "great hope"
for reviving U.S. relations with Syria and changing its behavior.

Speaking hours after arriving in Lebanon, Pelosi indicated the Bush
administration was singling out her trip to Syria, but ignoring the recent
visits by Republican members of Congress.

"It's interesting because three of our colleagues, who are all Republicans,
were in Syria yesterday, and I didn't hear the White House speaking out about
that," Pelosi said, referring to the Sunday meeting of Reps. Frank R. Wolf, Joe
Pitts and Robert B. Aderholt with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus.

"I think that it was an excellent idea for them to go," said Pelosi, who is to
meet Syrian leaders tomorrow. "And I think it's an excellent idea for us to go
as well."

In Washington, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino stressed yesterday that the
Bush administration objects to all visits to Syria.

"We ask that people not go on these trips," she said. "We discourage it. Full
stop."

The United States has poor relations with Syria, accusing it of interfering in
Iraq and Lebanon and sponsoring terrorists - charges that Damascus denies.
Perino last week described Pelosi's visit to Syria as a "really bad idea."

Last year, a bipartisan commission known as the Iraq Study Group recommended
the U.S. launch a new diplomatic initiative with Syria and Iran. The Bush
administration rejected the idea, but the U.S. did participate in a regional
security conference in Baghdad last month that also included representatives
from Iran and Syria.

Perino said it "sends the wrong message to have high-level U.S. officials going
there [to Syria] to have photo opportunities that Assad then exploits."

But Pelosi said she thinks it's a good idea to "establish facts, to hopefully
build the confidence" between the U.S. and Syria.

In Damascus, a state-run newspaper welcomed Pelosi's visit, saying that through
dialogue "a lot of misunderstandings [with the United States] could be
removed."

Pelosi, who is leading a congressional delegation on a fact-finding tour of the
Middle East, said she would speak to the Syrians about Iraq, their role in the
fight against terrorism, their support for militant groups such as Lebanon's
Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas - whose exiled leaders live in Damascus -
as well their influence in Lebanon.

Copyright + 2007, The Baltimore Sun | Get Sun home delivery

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