The lead authors of a sweeping review of US Iraq policy stressed Sunday that Washington must engage Iran and Syria to help achieve peace and security in Iraq and the wider Middle East.

But James Baker and Lee Hamilton said they themselves were not convinced that at least Tehran was ready to join hands with Washington on Iraq, even if there are no preconditions setfor talks.

Baker and Hamilton, who led the Iraq Study Group (ISG) in its call for the US to revise its approach toward Iraq, said in television interviews Sunday that Damascus and Tehran could contribute toward achieving peace not only in Iraq but between Israel and its neighbours.

"There are a lot of things that can be done in the region to support that road to peace in Baghdad," Hamilton told NBC's Meet the Press.

"Iran and Syria are major play-

ers. Now to try to isolate them, to shove them aside, to say they don't have any impact here, I don't think that gets you anywhere."

The ISG proposal that the US open direct talks with Iran and Syria, which Washington has branded supporters of terrorism, was one of the most controversial points in the report that recommended to US President George W. Bush that more responsibility should be placed on Baghdad for the country's security.