Bush calls on Syria get Hizbollah to stop attacks
Sat Jul 15, 5:27 AM ET

President Bush called on Syria on Saturday to exert its influence to persuade Hizbollah to stop attacks against Israel.

At a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bush laid the blame for the upsurge in Middle East violence squarely on Lebanon-based Hizbollah guerrillas.

"The best way to stop the violence is for Hizbollah to lay down its arms and to stop attacking. And therefore I call upon Syria to exert influence over Hizbollah."

South Lebanon-based Hizbollah has backing from Iran and is Syria's main ally in neighbouring Lebanon.

Bush called the Hizbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel and its abduction of Israeli soldiers, which prompted Israeli attacks on targets in Lebanon, an assault on U.S.-led efforts for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The short-term solution is for Hizbollah to stop the attacks. The longer term solution is for nations around the world and nations in the neighborhood to support those who support the advance of democracy," Bush said.

yahoonews.com