US lawmaker visits to Syria unhelpful-White House
Source: Reuters
By Caren Bohan WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The White House sought on Thursday to head off further visits to Syria by U.S. lawmakers, saying such trips undermine President George W. Bush's message that Damascus must stop meddling in Iraq and Lebanon. A Democratic senator who met this week with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the administration should explore what he said was an opening for dialogue. But White House spokesman Tony Snow brushed aside the advice from Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and said meetings like his offer a public-relations win to Syria's leaders. "Even lending a further specter of legitimacy to that government undermines the cause of democracy in the (Middle East) region," Snow told reporters. Bush has resisted calls to talk to both Syria and Iran, even though engagement with those countries was a central recommendation of the Iraq Study Group, which was led by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Rep. Lee Hamilton and urged an overhaul of U.S. policies on Iraq. Nelson paid the visit even though the White House made clear its objections ahead of time. Other senators are also expected to go to Syria in the next few weeks, including Democrats Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts. Among Democrats, who are poised to take over Congress in January, a number favor engagement with Syria and Iran. But Snow said Syria has been "adventurous and meddlesome" in Iraq and Lebanon. "Therefore, the Syrians should have absolutely no doubt that the position of the United States government is the same as it has been, which is: They know what they need to do," he said. The United States accuses Syria of allowing weapons and fighters to cross its border into Iraq in support of the anti-U.S. insurgency there. Syrian officials deny it. U.S. concerns over Syria's role in Lebanon have increased recently as Lebanon's anti-Syrian government faces protests by Hezbollah, the Shi'ite militant group supported by Syria and Iran. (Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell) (Editing by Vicki Allen; Reuters Messaging: caren.bohan.reuters.com@reuters.net; e-mail: caren.bohan@reuters.com; tel: 202-898-8392))
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