Bush seeks advice on Iraq policy

Mr Bush is to make a televised address on Iraq before Christmas

US President George W Bush has opened three days of intensive talks on Iraq, as he weighs possible policy changes.

Without mentioning Iran and Syria by name, Mr Bush said Iraq's neighbours also bore responsibility for helping foster Iraqi security and democracy.

His comments came after consultations with senior State Department officials.

The talks follow a recent report on US policy in Iraq that called for urgent action to stop "a slide towards chaos", including talks with Iran and Syria.

The high-level report by the Iraq Study Group (ISG) published last week said the current US strategy of staying the course was no longer viable.

The 142-page report included 79 recommendations.

It offered no hard timetable for a pullout of US forces, but said combat troops could withdraw by early 2008.

'Foundation for peace'

Following a State Department briefing on Monday, Mr Bush spoke of the responsibilities of neighbouring countries to help Iraqis, although he avoided mentioning Iran and Syria by name.

US firepower has failed to end the insurgency in Iraq

"Success in Iraq will help protect the United States in the long run.

"We believe that most of the countries understand that a mainstream society, a society that is a functioning democracy is in their interests and it is up to us to help focus their attentions and focus their efforts on helping Iraqis succeed," he said.

He defined success in Iraq as "a country that governs, defends itself, that is a free society, that serves as an ally in this war on terror".

The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says Mr Bush appeared to signal a subtle change in his language, referring to Iraq not as the central front in the war on terror, but as a component part, if an important one, of laying the foundation for peace.

Although the significance in policy terms is not immediately clear, the wording echoes that used by new Defence Secretary Robert Gates and suggests that the Bush administration may be about to recast the US mission in Iraq, our correspondent says.