WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John Kerry has declined to back up his claim that he has met with foreign leaders who privately endorsed his candidacy.
Kerry made the claim to reporters in Florida on Monday. Aides and supporters said providing names of the leaders or their countries would injure those nations' ongoing relations with the current Bush administration.
The Washington Times said Friday Kerry, virtually assured of the Democratic presidential nomination, made no official foreign trips since the start of last year, according to Senate records and his own published schedules.
Furthermore, an extensive review by the Times of the Massachusetts senator's travel schedule domestically revealed only one opportunity to meet with foreign leaders here, the paper said.
