AL QUDS, May 2: The United States has demanded that Syria “dismantle” the militant Lebanese Shia Muslim movement Hezbollah, US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice was quoted as saying in an Israeli newspaper on Friday.

“At every opportunity, we have asked Syria to stop supporting terrorism, dismantle Hezbollah, close the headquarters of terrorist groups in Damascus and end the threat posed to Israel from rockets in south Lebanon,” Rice said, in remarks published in Hebrew in the Yediot Aharonot daily.

Rice was referring to the positions in south Lebanon held by the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah, which led the resistance to Israel’s 22-year occupation of the area which ended in May 2000.

Rice also reiterated US charges that Damascus was hosting members of Saddam Hussein’s deposed regime.

“President (George W.) Bush felt Syria’s attitude during the war in Iraq was problematic, notably because high ranking Iraqi officials were able to enter Syria. Since then, the Syrians have been behaving more responsibly and closing their borders.”

“Nevertheless, the issue is far from solved,” she added.

Rice also pressed Israel to “react in a positive way to the changes in the Palestinian leadership,” referring to the new reformist government of prime minister Mahmoud Abbas that began work on Wednesday.

“Israel must improve the humanitarian situation and restore freedom of movement to the Palestinians,” she said.

But Rice assured Israel of continued backing from its key ally. “The United States has proved that it is a true friend on whom Israel can rely, and this is particularly the case with President Bush.”

Rice’s remarks come as US Secretary of State Colin Powell is due in Syria later Friday for talks in which he will press Damascus to address US concerns about support for “terrorist” groups as well as allegations it is pursuing chemical weapons.—AFP