US backs out of talks with Syrian team

WASHINGTON  - In a turnabout, the US State Department Wednesday backed out of rare talks with a visiting Syrian delegation, citing conflicting schedules as among reasons.
“Representatives from the State Department will not meet with this group from Syria,” said department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos. “Upon review of their program and changes in schedules, ultimately this did not work out.”
The decision came after a key member of the Syrian group, Riad Daoudi, the legal adviser to the Foreign Ministry, at the last minute cancelled his trip to Washington, where the delegation was scheduled to attend a private forum. Daoudi, a Syrian lead negotiator with Israeli officials in Turkey, reportedly had to remain in Damascus for talks with a Turkish delegation.
Despite his absence, the State Department confirmed on Tuesday that the meeting would go ahead with others in the group - including a consultant to Syrian prime minister Ahmad Samir al-Taki, who is also director of the Orient Centre for International Studies in Damascus.
Asked to explain, Gallegos said, “My understanding at that time was that they had requested it, that we had looked at the meeting, and we were going to meet with them.
“Today, conditions have changed, and we’re not going to be meeting with them,” he said. “Our understanding is this group did not come here to meet with US government representatives.”