Talabani calls on U.S. to open talks with Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani review an honour guard at the presidential palace in Damascus

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said in remarks aired on Sunday he will push for dialogue between the United States and neighboring Syria, which he said was helping Baghdad clamp down on terrorism.

Talabani, who paid a landmark visit to Syria earlier this month, said he had not received any request to mediate between Damascus and Washington from either nation.

But, "I personally will seek to give a true picture about Syria's intentions and policy to the U.S. administration and I will seek to encourage our American friends to have a dialogue with Syria," he told Al Arabiya television.

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