CAIRO, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Egypt is trying to arrange a meeting between U.S. and Syrian officials on the sidelines of a summit of G-8 countries and Arab states in Egypt in March.
Cairo-based diplomats told UPI Friday the Egyptian Foreign Ministry is using contacts to arrange the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Sharaa to discuss tense relations between their countries.
The Egyptian effort coincides with rising tension in U.S.-Syria relations following Washington's fresh accusations against Damascus over its non-cooperation in Iraq, its refusal to implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 stipulating the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and its harboring Islamic organizations Washington accuses of terrorism, such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.
The diplomats said Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Ghait and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman will raise the possibility of holding the meeting with U.S. officials during their visit to Washington next week.
Egypt is hoping to arrange the meeting on the sidelines of the foreign ministers' summit, which will take place March 3 in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
