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| US and Syria hold landmark talks | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has begun a ground-breaking meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem at a summit in Egypt. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has begun a ground-breaking meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem at a summit in Egypt. |
| It is the first time the two countries have held such a high-level talks since the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. | It is the first time the two countries have held such a high-level talks since the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. |
| Syrian officials have been linked to his killing - a claim Syria denies. | Syrian officials have been linked to his killing - a claim Syria denies. |
| The US has also accused Syria of stoking violence in Iraq, but says it has recently showed signs of changing. | The US has also accused Syria of stoking violence in Iraq, but says it has recently showed signs of changing. |
| "There has been some movement by the Syrians," a US military spokesman said in Baghdad. | "There has been some movement by the Syrians," a US military spokesman said in Baghdad. |
| "There has been a reduction in the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq" for more than a month, Major General William Caldwell said. | "There has been a reduction in the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq" for more than a month, Major General William Caldwell said. |
| Greeting over lunch | |
| The meeting between Ms Rice and Mr Muallem took place on the sidelines of a major conference in Egypt, called to try to help pacify and develop Iraq. | The meeting between Ms Rice and Mr Muallem took place on the sidelines of a major conference in Egypt, called to try to help pacify and develop Iraq. |
| There is speculation that Ms Rice may also hold talks with her Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki. | |
| If she did, it would be the first time the two countries held such high-level talks since the United States cut relations in 1980. | If she did, it would be the first time the two countries held such high-level talks since the United States cut relations in 1980. |
| Ms Rice and Mr Mottaki greeted each other at lunch at the conference on Thursday, but "they said hello, that's about it", said US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. | |
| Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki opened the conference with an appeal to other countries to write off its debts. | |
| He said Iraq needed to free up funds to invest in much-needed reconstruction projects. | |
| "We call on all the friends and brothers participating in this conference to forgive Iraq all its debts in order to enable it to start the projects," Mr Maliki said. | |
| 'Critical juncture' | |
| Thursday's conference was called to endorse a five-year International Compact for Iraq (ICI), under which Iraq will institute reforms promoting national reconciliation, and will receive major financial assistance. | |
| United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "Iraq is at a critical juncture. | |
| "As the Iraqi people strive to achieve these goals they should be able to count on the active support of Iraq's neighbours and the international community." | |
| Separate talks on Friday, involving all Iraq's neighbouring countries and other major powers, will focus on Iraq's security. |