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US threatens Syria with isolation for supporting Islamists
 US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Syria on Tuesday that if it wants to avoid being "isolated" it must end support for Islamic militants intent on wrecking the Middle East peace process. "It is time for Syria to demonstrate that it does not want to be isolated, that it does not want to have bad relations with the United States," Rice said after talks here with Italy's Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini. In a joint press conference dominated by the Middle East as Israeli and Palestinian leaders met in Egypt to discuss a ceasefire, the US official had harsh words for Syria, saying it has been "unhelpful" by supporting Islamic militants intent on wrecking the process."I can't say it strongly enough. You can't say on one hand that you want a process of peace and on the other hand support the people who are determined to blow it up." "Syria has been unhelpful in a number of ways" including support for terrorists and militants operating out of South Lebanon, she said. "There's a long list and while we sometimes make what I call minimal progress, it is by no means the kind of progress we need to make," said Rice, making her first foreign tour since succeeding Colin Powell as President George W. Bush's top envoy last month. She said the Islamic militants opposed to a Middle East peace "cannot be allowed to continue to try to orchestrate the process." Posted by: Fred 2005-02-09 |
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