US will not walk away from talks with Iran on Iraq

WASHINGTON, Mar 8 (Reuters) The United States said today it will not ''walk away'' from bilateral talks with Iran or Syria at a neighbors conference this weekend if either country approaches it to discuss stabilizing Iraq.

''If we are approached over orange juice by the Syrians or the Iranians to discuss an Iraq-related issue that is germane to this topic -- stable, secure, peaceful, democratic Iraq -- we are not going to turn and walk away,'' David Satterfield, the State Department's Iraq coordinator, told reporters.

However, he said whether or not such talks are held would depend in part on the Syrian and Iranian stance at the Saturday conference.

REUTERS SP KN2204