DIPLOMACY Rice: Syria must take findings seriously

The country was implicated in a political killing that's being investigated.
OTTAWA, Canada (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that Syria should drop its "nonchalant attitude" about an international report implicating it in a political killing, but she indicated the United States may be willing to put off a drive for tough international sanctions.
Speaking to reporters en route to a brief diplomatic visit in Canada, Rice said Syria must take seriously last week's findings from a U.N. investigator.
The world "must make very clear to the Syrians that this is a really serious matter and that their nonchalant attitude, their efforts to discredit the investigation ... are not the attitude of the international community," Rice said.
Noting that the report from prosecutor Detlev Mehlis will be followed by a second U.N. report soon, Rice appeared amenable to suggestions from the French and others that further action with Syria may not be on the immediate agenda when the Security Council meets on the issue next week.
"This is all about Syrian behavior, but if people want to sequence it, fine, we can sequence it."
Rice spoke as she began her first trip to Canada since taking over from Colin Powell in January as the top U.S. diplomat. It had been delayed in part by U.S. resentment over Canada's refusal to join in a North American missile defense shield.
Lumber issue
The trip comes at a sensitive time in the bitter, years-old dispute over cheap Canadian lumber imports.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said Monday he is willing to negotiate a softwood lumber agreement with the United States if Washington returns $3.5 billion in contested duties. Rice seemed to agree.
"I do not think the time for negotiations is past," Rice said. President Bush pressed Martin earlier this month for a negotiated settlement, but Martin rebuffed the overture and warned that Canada would sue in U.S. courts if necessary.
"Obviously, I think the Canadian relationship is working well," Martin said Monday. "We have differences and we are going to have those differences because I'm going to defend Canada."
The United States accuses Canada of sending millions of board feet of softwood lumber from government-owned timberlands across the border at low prices, making it tough for U.S. companies to compete.
The Bush administration imposed tariffs averaging 27 percent in 2002.
North American Free Trade Agreement panels ruled in favor of Canada and said $3.5 billion in tariffs and duties collected on Canadian lumber were not justified. The United States has kept the tariffs in place and claims its position is supported by the World Trade Organization.