Pelosi conveys Israeli peace message to Syria

[seafan]

Source: Reuters Canada

Wed Apr 4, 2007 9:31 AM EDT


By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on a visit to Syria opposed by the White House, said on Wednesday she conveyed an Israeli message to President Bashar al-Assad that the Jewish state was ready to resume peace talks.
Pelosi, the most senior U.S. official to visit Syria in more than two years, said Assad told her he was also ready for negotiations with Israel. Syria wants the return of the Golan Heights, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.


"(Our) meeting with the president enabled us to communicate a message from Prime Minister (Ehud) Olmert that Israel was ready to engage in peace talks as well," Pelosi told reporters in Damascus after talks with Assad.
"We were very pleased with the reassurances we received from the president that he was ready to resume the peace process. He was ready to engage in negotiations (for) peace with Israel," she added.


Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said that Syria was ready to resume talks with Israel based on an Arab peace plan calling for Israeli withdrawal from all Arab land for peace adopted at a summit last month.
"They said that Mr. Olmert is ready for peace with Syria. We replied that Syria is ready for peace according to the Arab initiative," he told reporters.

.....

Pelosi has dismissed the White House's criticism of the trip, saying it was a good opportunity to gather facts and build confidence.
Several U.S. lawmakers have visited Damascus in recent months after the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended a stepped-up diplomatic effort involving Syria and Iran to help calm the violence in Iraq.
The Bush administration has resisted that recommendation.

Read more: http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-04-04T133143Z_01_L04321424_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SYRIA-USA-PELOSI-COL.XML

[greyl]

1. That's what a war on terrorism looks like. nt

[Lint Head]

2. And the British hostages are released!

Go Nancy Go! President,I mean, Speaker Pelosi. If this leads to something substantial she should get the Noble Peace Prize.
:dem:

[whosinpower]

3. OHHHH I'M LOVIN THIS!

With every step she makes, every speech she says, every nation she meets....poor ol' Bushie looks even more foolish, out of touch, incompetant.

HE MUST BE SPITTING MAD PRIVATELY RIGHT NOW! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Ian David]

4. No! That will throw Bush's Apocalypse way off schedule!

[peacetalksforall]

5. This trip did not take place. For millions and millions of

citizens - this trip did not take place because corporate network news has not reported on it. Pelosi might as well be taking a break in Pago-Pago for all purposes near and dear to the corporations and their political partners in the WH and their partners.

Now Obama - that's news - in lieu of a lull in news about Anna.

[LeftHander]

6. Bush is non-functional.....

Basically the world is telling us that they no longer consider the Bush Administration a viable representative of the United States Government...


If ever there was a need for a vote of "no-confidence" in the U.S. from of democracy...it is now.

[necso]

7. It's usually better to talk,

talk instead of warring -- provided the other party is rational.

Common interests can often be found.

Neocons, however, aren't rational.

[Eugene]

8. Syria tells Pelosi it ready for peace talks

Source: Reuters

Syria tells Pelosi it ready for peace talks
Wed Apr 4, 2007 11:54AM EDT

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on a visit to Syria opposed
by the White House, said on Wednesday President Bashar al-Assad was ready to hold
peace talks with Israel.

But her remark that Israel was prepared to negotiate with Damascus prompted Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert's office to underline the Jewish state's preconditions for
such talks.

-snip-

"We were very pleased with the reassurances we received from the president (Assad)
that he was ready to resume the peace process. He was ready to engage in negotiations
(for) peace with Israel," Pelosi said.

-snip-

"The prime minister said Israel is interested in peace with Syria, but Syria would first
have to abandon the path of terror and providing support for terrorist groups," the
official said, in reference to Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSL0432142420070404

[The Stranger]

9. I love this woman.

[Supersedeas]

10. What, she's got to do imcompetent Condi's job too???