A Syrian official called in remarks published Wednesday for the United States to withdraw from Iraq, saying the problem of terror attacks had arisen only since US-led forces occupied the country.

Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Bushra Kanfani told the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Damascus was not optimistic about US-Syrian ties in the short term and urged Washington to engage in dialogue instead of making demands.

Last week, Washington demanded after a string of deadly suicide attacks that Syria -- which it calls a sponsor of "terrorism" -- should stop foreign militants from entering Iraq.

"The problem is America, not Syria. America must be more objective, because when it entered Iraq there was no terrorism and now there is the problem of terrorism and of al Qaeda and the matter has changed from one of weapons of mass destruction and toppling a regime to a new one of terrorism," Kanfani said.

"America must accept the reality that it is no longer in its interest to continue this way in Iraq. They must hand over power to other parties whose behavior is more acceptable to Iraqis and bring Iraq closer to regaining its sovereignty and holding free elections and then the problems will end," she said.

"We are doing what we can (to stop militants crossing the border) and I think there are many claims which are incorrect and which serve as a political cover for the instability inside Iraq and lack of control. The occupation power has electronic devices and satellites which offer more than we have, so why don't they guard their borders?"

Syrian-US ties are already strained over Syrian backing for Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas and Palestinian groups opposed to Israel. Last month, Israel bombed what it called a Palestinian "terrorist camp" in its first strike deep into Syria for nearly 30 years.

Kanfani said the short-term outlook for US-Syrian ties was not one for optimism, "especially during a (US) election year."

"The problem is there is no objective and fruitful dialogue... The issue is not for America to come with a list of demands, but for us to sit and talk objectively far away from dictates to reach common grounds. This is what we ask for."

Kanfani said Syria would defend itself if Israel launched a repeat attack, but did not elaborate.

"If the attack is repeated we have the right to legitimate self-defense by every means," she said.

(China Daily November 5, 2003)