First Blair announces
withdrawal, now he's advocating talks with Syria and Iran:
Posted 2/21/2007 11:17 AM
By Jeffrey Stinson, USA TODAY
LONDON — Syria is showing signs that it could help improve security in Iraq but Iran is doing little and may be making the situation worse, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today.
Blair said that he was prepared to work with Syria and Iran to bring stability to Iraq and the rest of the Mideast region if they are prepared to help. "But the issue is: are they prepared to do so?" he said.
Blair made his remarks in the House of Commons after announcing that Britain would be pulling 1,600 of its 7,100 troops out of southern Iraq in coming months.
Syria has indicated that it is increasingly worried about the role that al-Qaeda is playing, Blair said. And, he said, "there are some tentative signs" that the Syrian government could help the security situation.
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