SYRIA GETS IT WRONG...AGAIN

Syria said Friday that it had invited Iraq's foreign minister to a weekend Arab League meeting called to discuss the impact on Baghdad's neighbors of the U.S.-led war that toppled Saddam Hussein.

After Iraqi complaints about not being invited to the meeting that starts Saturday, Syria issued a last-minute invitation to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

But Zebari, reached by telephone in the Iraqi capital late Friday, said he had not yet received the invitation.

``Even if they have invited us, it is too late now,'' Zebari said. ``We might not be able to go to Damascus for logistical reasons.''

Zebari said any meeting about Iraq should include Iraqis. Baghdad was expected to urge its neighbors at the meeting to work to stop the infiltration of militants into Iraq.