Agence France Presse – President George W. Bush said Thursday that Iran and Syria must stop helping extremists and commit to help Iraq’s fledgling government before any talks with the two.
Bush spoke following White House talks with his main ally, Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair, on events in Iraq and a new report by a US panel which urged the US administration to make radical changes to the handling of the Iraq war.
One of the key recommendations of the Iraq Study Group report was to launch a diplomatic initiative, including talks with Iran and Syria — two arch-foes of the United States.
"If people come to the table to discuss Iraq, they need to come understanding their responsibilities to not fund terrorists, to help this young democracy survive, to help with the economics of the country," he said of Iran and Syria’s alleged involvement in Iraq’s troubles.
"And if people are not committed, if Syria and Iran is not committed to that concept then they shouldn’t bother to show up," said Bush, who also ruled out direct talks with Iran unless it verifiably freezes sensitive nuclear work.
Blair will launch a Middle East mission to show US and British commitment to ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Iraq Study Group said that Bush had to launch a new Middle East peace effort to give the United States renewed credibility in the region.
