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Washington - James Baker, a former US secretary of state who now heads a panel looking to inject new life into US-Iraq policy, met several times with Syrian officials, seeking their cooperation, the New York Times reported Saturday, citing Syria`s ambassador to the US, Imad Moustapha.
Baker reportedly met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in September in New York, asking him "what would it take Syria to help on Iraq?" according to Moustapha.
Ambassador Moustapha described the meeting as "very promising," and said that he had also twice met with the Iraq Study Group in Washington.
The panel consists of five Democrats and Republicans and is chaired by Baker. The group is preparing a report that is due to be released in early December.
Washington has frequently accused Iran and Syria of fomenting trouble in neighbouring Iraq, and the administration had recently hinted that it may consider direct talks with the two countries to help quell the violence.