WASHINGTON, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The White House reiterated on Monday its objection to a plan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Syria, saying the scheduled visit is sending a "wrong message."

    "It sends the wrong message to have high-level U.S. officials going there to have photo opportunities that Assad then exploits," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.

    "We discourage such trips by high-ranking U.S. officials," she said, noting Pelosi's visit will be used by Syria "as leverage."

    Pelosi was reportedly to begin a two-day visit to Syria on Tuesday. Last week, Perino described Pelosi's plan as "a really bad idea."

    The United States has been accusing Syria and Iran of moving to topple Lebanon's U.S.-backed government although Syria ended three decades of military dominance of Lebanon last year after former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri's assassination in February 2005.

    Washington also accuses Damascus of allowing weapons and fighters to cross its border into Iraq in support of the anti-U.S. insurgency there, but the Syrian government denies the allegation. ¡¡