Iraq to Send Envoys to Some Neighbors

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi envoys will visit Iran and four other neighboring countries in the next few days to discuss convening a regional conference on calming the violence here, but will not include Syria, an aide to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Wednesday.

A bipartisan U.S. commission recommended Wednesday that President Bush engage Syria and Iran in negotiations on Iraq's future because of the influence the two countries wield among armed groups in Iraq.

The aide said envoys would not visit Syria until the Damascus government responds to proposals made during a visit last month by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem.

The aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, did not elaborate on the proposals.

However, U.S. and Iraqi officials have repeatedly accused Syria of allowing extremists to use its territory to cross into Iraq and join the insurgency and of sheltering senior Saddam Hussein loyalists.

Besides Iran, the Iraqi envoys will visit Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Read the rest at the LA Times

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