Syria hopeful over outcome of Iraq meeting - VP
Source: Reuters
PARIS, March 2 (Reuters) - Syria is relatively hopeful an international meeting aimed at stabilising Iraq will succeed, but much depends on the attitude of the United States, Vice-President Farouq al-Shara was quoted on Friday as saying. "I am optimistic, but in a measured fashion," Shara told Le Monde newspaper in an interview. "The Baghdad meeting is a good thing, even if it is coming a bit late. It should have been held two years ago," he said. "Much depends on what the American administration has in its head." Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has invited neighbouring countries, including Syria and Iran, along with the United States and other world powers, to the meeting on March 10. Washington has said that agreeing to the conference does not amount to a change in policy toward Iran and Syria, which it accuses of fuelling violence in Iraq. But Shara indicated he thought the U.S. presence at the meeting might signify a shift of stance. "I have to say that I have already noted positive elements," he said without elaborating. The vice-president said it was in Syria's interests to see a peaceful Iraq and warned the situation could get even worse. "The situation there is chaotic and is slipping out of control. One must be very prudent because important issues are at stake," he was quoted as saying. He said Syria had contacts with government and opposition factions in Iraq, but favoured no-one "because you cannot play the role of a mediator if you take sides. If the environment changes, we would be encouraged to make a bigger effort."
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