white house objects to talks

from times online: The White House has made clear its outright opposition to the idea of direct talks with Syria and Iran on the issue of Iraq, after sharply criticising a group of Democrat senators for meeting the leadership in Damascus.

Responding to a trip to Syria this week by Ben Nelson, a Florida Democrat, and a meeting this weekend between Senator John Kerry and President Assad of Syria in Damascus, Tony Snow, President Bush’s spokesman, said that the moves were “not helpful” and “not appropriate”.

Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, also rejected the idea of seeking Syria and Iran’s help in Iraq, which was a recommendation of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.