US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will not meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad in New York next week when Rice will host a meeting of European and Middle Eastern leaders at that time, the State Department said on Wednesday.

"I don't think there are any plans for the secretary to meet with President Assad," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing.

During the meeting, which coincides with the special session of the UN General Assembly, Rice is expected to try to rally support to build up pressure on Syria to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Lebanon and crack down on Palestinian militants with headquarters in Damascus.

The United States has accused Syria of failing to guard its border to prevent militants from entering Iraq. Syria has rebutted the criticism.

Source: Xinhua