Blair opens 'candid dialogue' with Syria

Mr Blair's said his historic visit was difficult

Tony Blair has opened a "candid dialogue" with the President of Syria as his latest diplomatic mission to bolster Middle Eastern support for the war on terrorism gets underway.

Following the historic trip to Damascus, Mr Blair landed in Saudi Arabia where he was due to have an audience with King Fahd ahead of talks with Crown Prince Abdullah and other local political leaders.

It is difficult to come here... but if any good can come out of the terrible events of 11 September it is an attempt to find new ways of resolving our differences

Tony Blair

He conceded it was "difficult" to be the first serving prime minister to visit Syria - accused of hosting some of the region's most hardline terrorist groups - but said it was essential to "reach an understanding of each other's perspective".

Following the historic talks in Damscus the two leaders held a joint news conference where Mr Blair stressed the military action in Afghanistan was directed against Osama Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network - not Islam as a whole.

President Bashar al-Assad repeated condemnation of the 11 September attacks on the US - but made clear his country could not address the issue of terrorism separately from Israel's treatment of the Palestinians.

The British prime minister is expected to meet Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Israel, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the Palestinian territories, later on his tour.

'No alternative'

Syria remains on the US list of countries which sponsor terrorism, and is home to three groups banned in the UK, and the visit has caused some controversy.

But after his discussions with the president Mr Blair told reporters: "There is no alternative when all the killing and bloodshed stops. People will have to come back to resolve their differences."

"This is a candid dialogue but this is a dialogue I would like to think would be pursued by us both as people trying to reach an understanding of each other's perspective and trying to work together as partners for the greater good of the wider world."

We both understand the importance of restarting the peace process

Tony Blair

Both the 11 September attacks and the importance of restarting the Middle East peace process were covered in the talks, Mr Blair said.

"We both understand the importance of restarting the peace process," said Mr Blair.

"Getting back to a situation in which distances are resolved by a process of talking and dialogue and that in that regard violence from whatever quarter is deeply unhelpful.

"What we require is the space and time to get people talking together again."

'End violence' call

The prime minister spoke of the need to end "violence of all sorts" in order to give the peace process space and time, but added that "there are going to be differences in perspective and view about these issues".

That point was underlined when President Assad said groups linked to his country were seeking the liberation of Palestine and could not be classed as terrorists.

As they spoke, Israeli tanks and bulldozers raided a Palestinian-controlled West Bank village to arrest suspected Islamic militants.

Mr Blair ended his visit to Syria with a visit to the Omayyad Mosque in central Damascus.

Back in Britain, the government was coming under fire from Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who warned "confusing messages" were endangering domestic support for the war on terrorism.

He said clearer explanations were needed of why the Taleban was being targeted, why the air war was necessary and why suspending it for humanitarian aid would have little effect.

But Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, in Russia on his own diplomatic mission, said he was "puzzled" by the comments.