[AFP] The U.S. on Monday balked at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's call to open talks with the anti-Israel groups Hamas and Hizbullah, saying the militants had to renounce violence first. "We would like to see Syria change the behavior of these two groups," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said. The diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East insists Hamas recognize the State of Israel's right to exist, renounce violence and respect past accords. "And Hizbullah, which is also a terrorist organization, needs to renounce violence and be a productive player in the region," Wood said.
2009-05-05 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive