Kerry meets Syria's Assad, urges U.S. talks with Damascus

WASHINGTON --Sen. John Kerry emerged from his meeting Wednesday with Syrian President Bashar Assad even more resolute in his belief the United States must begin talks with Damascus as it seeks a solution to the turmoil in Iraq.

"I feel quite confident in saying this was a conversation worth having and that the (Bush) administration ought to pursue it," Kerry said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Jerusalem, where he traveled after meeting with Assad in Syria. "I feel very strongly about that. ... It's worth following up on a number of avenues."

Kerry, D-Mass., and Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., both prospective 2008 presidential candidates, met with Assad for about two hours as part of a Mideast trip. Kerry described the meeting as "a candid and thorough discussion."

Relations between the United States and Syria have been strained for several years. President Bush has accused Syria of fueling unrest in Iraq and Lebanon.

The visit by Kerry and Dodd to Syria came on the heels of a similar one by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, who also met with Assad. The White House has criticized trips by U.S. lawmakers to Syria as "inappropriate" because they provide a public relations boost for Damascus.

"We discourage the travel of members of Congress to Syria because we believe it undermines the cause of democracy in the region and particularly the Siniora government," White House spokesman Blair Jones said in a statement Wednesday night.

Kerry said he told Assad the new Democratic-controlled Congress has serious concerns about issues such as the flow of "money, weapons and terrorists" through Syria into Iraq and Lebanon.

Kerry has criticized the Bush administration for refusing to engage with Syria and Iran, a move that was recommended by the recently released Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel.

The Bush administration has accused Syria of aiding terrorism. The White House has also criticized Syria of helping the Iraqi insurgency by allowing insurgents to cross the border into neighboring Iraq. Syria has denied the charge.

"We explored the whys and wherefores of a number of the choices he's been making," said Kerry of the Assad meeting.

Kerry said he and Dodd "tried to understand what (Assad) might or might not be prepared to do" in relation to Iraq.

Kerry said it is important to at least begin a dialogue with Syria.

"It's a question of finding out what they say," Kerry said. "These things are step by step."

Kerry said he and Dodd are prepared to brief Bush administration officials about their meeting, and did not want to share specifics of their talk with Assad until they had done so.

"I certainly came away with a sense that it's worth pursuing as a dialogue," Kerry said. "It's worth following up on, on a number of avenues. It certainly validated the judgment of the Iraq Study Group."