House speaker holds talks with Syrian president
The meeting was an attempt to push the Bush administration to open a direct dialogue with Syria, a step that the White House has rejected. Congressional Democrats insist the U.S. attempts to isolate Syria have failed to force the al-Assad government to change its policies.
Rep. Tom Lantos, the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who was in Pelosi's delegation, said the meeting "reinforced sharply" the potential benefits of talking to Syria.
"This is only the beginning of our constructive dialogue with Syria and we hope to build on this visit," he said.
On Tuesday, President Bush denounced Pelosi's visit to Syria, saying it sends mixed signals to al-Assad's government.
"Sending delegations doesn't work. It's simply been counterproductive," Bush said.
Washington says Syria is fueling Iraq's violence by allowing Sunni insurgents to operate from its territory. It also accuses it of backing the Hezbollah and Hamas militant groups and of destabilizing the Lebanese government.
"We came in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace," Pelosi said after her talks with al-Assad.
Pelosi said she and her delegation "expressed our concern about Syria's connections to Hezbollah and Hamas" and discussed the issue of militant fighters slipping across the Syrian border into Iraq.
"These are important issues not only in the fight against terrorism but important priorities for us for peace in the Middle East," she said.
She said she brought a message to al-Assad from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that Israel was ready for peace talks with Syria. Al-Assad gave assurances that "he's ready to engage in negotiations for peace with Israel," Pelosi said. She later left Syria, heading for Saudi Arabia, the next leg of a Mideast tour.
Assad has repeatedly said during the past year that Damascus is willing to negotiate with Israel, insisting the talks must lead to the return of the Golan Heights, seized by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War.