This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6144900.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Bush cool on Iraq role for Iran | Bush cool on Iraq role for Iran |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush has rejected dealing with Iran unless it suspends its uranium enrichment activities. | US President George W Bush has rejected dealing with Iran unless it suspends its uranium enrichment activities. |
| Iran must face "economic isolation" if it proceeds with its nuclear weapons ambitions, Mr Bush said. | Iran must face "economic isolation" if it proceeds with its nuclear weapons ambitions, Mr Bush said. |
| His comments come amid mounting pressure for the US to consider engaging Iran and Syria to help end the bloodshed in neighbouring Iraq. | His comments come amid mounting pressure for the US to consider engaging Iran and Syria to help end the bloodshed in neighbouring Iraq. |
| UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to call on the two nations to help stem violence in Iraq. | UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to call on the two nations to help stem violence in Iraq. |
| Iraq and Syria can help deliver stability across the Middle East, Mr Blair will say in a speech. | Iraq and Syria can help deliver stability across the Middle East, Mr Blair will say in a speech. |
| But he will also warn the two states of the consequences of failing to help. | But he will also warn the two states of the consequences of failing to help. |
| 'Economic isolation' | 'Economic isolation' |
| Mr Blair is due to speak to the Iraq Study Group, an expert panel asked by the US Congress to re-evaluate American strategy in Iraq, via video link on Tuesday. | Mr Blair is due to speak to the Iraq Study Group, an expert panel asked by the US Congress to re-evaluate American strategy in Iraq, via video link on Tuesday. |
| We in Syria believe that engagement with the United States on Iraq can help a lot, because we believe that we need to stabilise the situation in Iraq and support the political process there Imad Moustapha Syrian ambassador to the US What Iran and Syria want href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6144996.stm" class="">'No softening' - UK | |
| President Bush met the members of the group, which is due to deliver its final report in a few weeks' time, on Monday. | President Bush met the members of the group, which is due to deliver its final report in a few weeks' time, on Monday. |
| The options reportedly being considered by the group, led by ex-Secretary of State James Baker, are a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, and opening a dialogue with Iran and Syria. | The options reportedly being considered by the group, led by ex-Secretary of State James Baker, are a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, and opening a dialogue with Iran and Syria. |
| Given the White House's battering in the US mid-term elections, the Bush administration is in more receptive mood but there are limits to what the president is prepared to accept, the BBC's Justin Webb reports from Washington. | Given the White House's battering in the US mid-term elections, the Bush administration is in more receptive mood but there are limits to what the president is prepared to accept, the BBC's Justin Webb reports from Washington. |
| Mr Bush, answering questions after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, made it clear there would be no complete about-turn in US foreign policy. | Mr Bush, answering questions after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, made it clear there would be no complete about-turn in US foreign policy. |
| "Our focus of this administration is to convince the Iranians to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions. And that focus is base upon our desire for there to be peace in the Middle East... an Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a destabilising influence," Mr Bush said. | "Our focus of this administration is to convince the Iranians to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions. And that focus is base upon our desire for there to be peace in the Middle East... an Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a destabilising influence," Mr Bush said. |
| Iran must be isolated internationally if it continued with its uranium enrichment programme, Mr Bush said. | Iran must be isolated internationally if it continued with its uranium enrichment programme, Mr Bush said. |
| He also showed little enthusiasm to engage with Syria, stressing that the US had already made it clear to Damascus that it should stop interfering in Lebanon and stop harbouring extremists. | He also showed little enthusiasm to engage with Syria, stressing that the US had already made it clear to Damascus that it should stop interfering in Lebanon and stop harbouring extremists. |
| 'Failed policy' | 'Failed policy' |
| Mr Bush also said in response to a reporter's question on Monday that US troop withdrawals from Iraq would have to hinge on the situation on the ground. | Mr Bush also said in response to a reporter's question on Monday that US troop withdrawals from Iraq would have to hinge on the situation on the ground. |
| Mr Bush is facing pressure to change tack on Iraq | Mr Bush is facing pressure to change tack on Iraq |
| The Syrian ambassador to Washington, Imad Moustapha, has said his government would be glad to play a role in Iraq - as long as the Iraqis themselves wanted it. | The Syrian ambassador to Washington, Imad Moustapha, has said his government would be glad to play a role in Iraq - as long as the Iraqis themselves wanted it. |
| "We are willing to engage and we can help - I'm not claiming we have the magical wand - we can help play a constructive role. We have played a constructive role in the past," Mr Moustapha told the BBC. | "We are willing to engage and we can help - I'm not claiming we have the magical wand - we can help play a constructive role. We have played a constructive role in the past," Mr Moustapha told the BBC. |
| But he said the US first had to accept its policy in Iraq had failed. | But he said the US first had to accept its policy in Iraq had failed. |
| "If they [the United States] really want to hold talks with Iran, they should officially propose it and then Iran will review it," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told Reuters news agency. | "If they [the United States] really want to hold talks with Iran, they should officially propose it and then Iran will review it," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told Reuters news agency. |
| More than 2,800 US troops have died in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003. | More than 2,800 US troops have died in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003. |