12 September 2004	Sunday	26 Rajab 1425

DAMASCUS, Sept 11: Syria must withdraw troops from Lebanon and halt the activities of groups based in Syria that foster terrorism, a senior US State Department official said after talks with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Saturday.

William Burns, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, said he had had "frank and detailed" talks with President Assad and had underlined Washington's "deep concern over Syrian intervention in the Lebanese political process."

But he also held out an olive branch to the Syrian leader, saying that bilateral relations could change course with "positive results" if Assad "complied" with Washington's demands.

Washington imposed economic sanctions on Syria in May for supporting Palestinian militant groups and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, refusing to renounce weapons of mass destruction and keeping 17,000 troops in Lebanon and it also moved a resolution in the UN recently on almost identical lines.

"Syria must end its interference in Lebanese internal affairs, withdraw its forces from Lebanon and allow the Lebanese armed forces and government to establish their authority throughout Lebanon," Mr Burns told reporters after the talks.

It must also "...take steps to halt activities of states, individuals and organisations operating on and from Syrian territory and in Lebanon that facilitate and direct ... violence and terror," he said.

Mr Burns said he also discussed stability in Iraq and the prospects of cooperation between US, Iraqi and Syrian military experts to ensure security in Iraq.

"We discussed, among other things, practical ways in which our military experts might cooperate with Syrian and Iraqi counterparts on this problem," he said.

President Assad emphasised that "Syria is standing by the brotherly people of Iraq to preserve its national unity and restore its independence, security and stability," the official agency said.

It said both sides attached "extreme importance" to the Iraq issue, and agreed on practical ways to cooperate in restoring the country's stability.

Mr Burns said Washington remained committed to Arab-Israeli peace, but that Syria was required to combat anti-Israel "terrorism" to pave the way for peace. "Such peace cannot be achieved against a backdrop of violence."

"If Syria takes action on these concerns, our relationship can take a very different course with positive results," Burns said. "The time has come for concrete steps ... We stress that what is essential now is genuine progress, not rhetoric."-Reuters