- US Secretary of State Colin Powell has written to Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad asking for Damascus's help to bring peace to
Iraq.
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- The letter from Powell - and a separate congratulatory
letter from President Bush - were delivered by U.S. Ambassador Margaret
Scobey during a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa.
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- Powell's message "explains the dangers of the developments
in Iraq" and urges Syria "to give any possible help that could
contribute to easing the situation there in a way that serves the country's
unity and preserves its security and stability," SANA said.
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- The agency did not say what Bush's message contained.
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- In a televised address Tuesday, Bush said Iraq's neighbors
"have responsibilities to make their region more stable."
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- He said he was sending Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage to "discuss with these nations our common interest in a free
and independent Iraq, and how they can help achieve this goal."
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- Syria, a staunch opponent of the U.S.-led war on Iraq,
is the only country of seven on the U.S. list of states accused of sponsoring
terrorism to have full diplomatic relations with the United States.
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- The United States has accused Syria of allowing foreign
fighters to cross its borders into Iraq,
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- In December, Bush approved the Syria Accountability and
Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which accuses Syria of hosting militant
Palestinian groups and seeking biological and chemical weapons.
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- The act says Syria must withdraw its 20,000 troops from
neighboring Lebanon and stop fighters and weapons from crossing its border
into Iraq, and adds that if Damascus does not comply, Washington can impose
economic and diplomatic sanctions.
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- Syria denies pursuing weapons of mass destruction and
says the long, porous border with Iraq makes it hard to stop infiltrators.
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