Nelson defies Bush, enlists Syria's helpWASHINGTON -- Syrian President Bashar Assad told Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) on Wednesday that he was willing to cooperate with the U.S. to control the porous border between Syria and Iraq used by insurgents.
The one-hour meeting in Damascus, which State Department officials had opposed, was the first between a high-level American official and Assad since a bipartisan panel suggested that the U.S. work with Syria and Iran to curb bloodshed in Iraq.
"Assad clearly indicated the willingness to cooperate with the Americans and/or the Iraqi army to be part of a solution," the Florida Democrat said in a conference call from Amman, Jordan.
Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha said in Washington that the meeting comes at a crucial time as pressure builds on the United States to thaw relations with Syria. The bipartisan Iraq Study Group said last week that the U.S. must turn to Syria and Iran to help stabilize Iraq.
The November elections that gave Democrats control of Congress, the study group's recommendations and an Iraq "spiraling to catastrophe" have combined to "dramatically" change the atmosphere, Moustapha said.
"The political situation has changed favorably to engagement with Syria," Moustapha said. "The big question is, is the administration capable of thinking outside the box and reconsidering its policies toward Syria?"
He called the American approach to the Middle East "failed policies."
Senator adds meetingNelson's meeting was notable , given the Bush administration's reluctance to engage Syria, which it has accused of undermining the Lebanese government and supporting terror groups. Nelson said State Department officials, who at first had opposed his visit drove him from Jordan to Damascus.
The senator said he added the Assad meeting to his trip to Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other countries after James Baker and Lee Hamilton and the Iraq Study Group changed the focus on Syria. "It was obvious we were going to have contacts."
"That was a nonstarter for them to say I should ignore the Baker-Hamilton report," Nelson said. "I felt like it was in the best interests of our country and in my interest as a separate branch of government to go."
But White House press secretary Tony Snow said the administration does not agree with lawmakers traveling to Syria.
"We just don't think it's appropriate," he said Wednesday of Nelson's meeting. Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., John Kerry, D-Mass., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., also plan to meet with Assad soon.
Snow said the White House already has clearly told Syria what needs to change to improve relations between the countries.
"What has not happened is the appropriate response by the Syrians, in terms of their adventurism within the region, especially with regard to Lebanon; their continued support and housing of terrorist organizations," Snow said.
As Nelson debriefed reporters, the White House put out a tough statement by President Bush calling for political prisoners to be released and saying "Syrians deserve a government whose legitimacy is grounded in the consent of the people, not brute force."
But Nelson, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations, Armed Services and Intelligence committees, said Assad clearly left open a "crack in the door" for cooperation on the border issue. Still, "I approach the dealings with Syria with realism not optimism," he said repeatedly.
Turnstile for terrorists?Syrian vows to work on the border issue met some skepticism.
"Their border with Iraq is like a turnstile in an amusement park for terrorists heading to kill American soldiers," said Josh Block, spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. "We're happy he [Nelson] delivered a tough message, but the question is, what will the Syrians do to change their negative behavior?"
Aside from the border issue, other topics that Nelson brought up with Assad met with "sharp disagreement."
Nelson, who meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora today as part of his 13-day fact-finding trip, raised the issue of Syrian support for Hezbollah and Hamas and the imprisonment of three Israeli soldiers and of Syrian meddling in opposition to the Lebanese government.
"His point of view is the government has lost support. My point of view is he was undermining the government of Lebanon," Nelson said. "He listened politely and then expressed that he does not support the Saniora government," Nelson said.
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