Rice rejects reaching out to Iran, Syria to stabilize Iraq

Source: Xinhuanet | 12-15-2006 17:10

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has rejected engaging Iran and Syria as part of efforts to stabilize war-torn Iraq, saying costs could be too high,the Washington Post reported on Friday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Rice said the "compensation" needed for any deal would likely be too high, and that she did not want to trade Lebanese sovereignty to Syria or allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon as a price for peace in Iraq.

Rice made the remarks in response to a Dec. 7 report by the high-level bipartisan commission, the Iraq Study Group, which suggested direct talks with Iran and Syria to help stabilize the situation in neighboring Iraq.

Rice said neither country should need an incentive to push for stability in Iraq. "If they have an interest in a stable Iraq, they will do it anyway," she told the Post.

On President George W. Bush's Iraq policy review, Rice said it could be "quite expansive" but she also told the Post that Bush would not radically change any of his long-term goals or commitment to Iraq.

Rice said the Bush administration's goal over the next two years was to help Iraqis marginalize extremists and create a moderate middle ground that could hold the country together, the newspaper reported.

Editor:Du Xiaodan