At the next two meetings, first with Uribe and then with Kissinger, reporters were let in for a few seconds as each session began. With Kissinger, Palin could be heard discussing the situation in Georgia.

Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin (R) meets with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in the Columbia Mission on Park Avenue, New York, September 23, 2008. Kissinger, who has been an informal adviser to various presidents over the years was overheard by reporters talking to Palin about the situation in Georgia. [Agencies]

"You're going to give me more insight on that also," Palin told Kissinger. They met for more than an hour. "It was great," she said later before turning to get into her sport utility vehicle.

Before Palin's first meeting of the day, with Karzai, campaign aides told reporters in the press pool that followed her that they could not go into meetings where photographers and a video camera crew would be let in for pictures.

Bush and members of Congress routinely allow reporters to attend photo opportunities along with photographers, and the reporters sometimes are able to ask questions at the beginning of private meetings before they are ushered out.

At least two news organizations, including AP, objected to the exclusion of reporters and were told that the decision to have a "photo spray" only was not subject to discussion. After aides backed away from that, campaign spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt said the reporter ban was a "miscommunication."

On Wednesday, McCain and Palin are expected to meet jointly with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko. Palin is then to meet separately with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Palin, 44, has been to neighboring Canada and to Mexico, and made a brief trip to Kuwait and Germany to see Alaska National Guard troops.