US official to discuss plight of Iraqi refugees with Damascus

[maddezmom]

DAMASCUS (AFP) - A senior US official will hold talks with the Syrian government on Monday, as Washington presses on with its re-engagement of the Damascus regime.

Ellen Sauerbrey, assistant secretary of state for refugees and migration, was to discuss the plight of Iraqi refugees, who now number about two million, including more than 600,000 in Syria.

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McCormack and other US government spokesmen have insisted that Washington is not ready for a rapprochement with Syria, saying any contacts will deal only with Iraq-related issues.

He said Sauerbrey's talks will focus solely on the crisis created by the exodus of Iraqis fleeing the sectarian bloodshed in their country.

Criticised for its response to the refugee crisis fuelled by its 2003 invasion of Iraq, Washington announced a series of measures last month, including boosting aid to the UNHCR and taking in 7,000 Iraqi asylum seekers, some from Syria.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070312/wl_afp/syriausdiplomacyiraq_070312125537


Isn't this rich, the US is finally going to take 7,000 (not all from Syria of course) refugees and we're going to talk to the Syrians about the crisis we've created and maybe offer UNHRC a some money and a portion can go to with the 600,000 now in Syria. :eyes: