US President GeorgeW. Bush accused Iran and Syria today of supportingmilitants seeking to undo the fragile Middle East peace processand warned they would be held accountable.
Mr Bush issued the warning at a news conference with ItalianPrime Minister Mr Silvio Berlusconi on a hot day at Mr Bush's centralTexas ranch.
Mr Berlusconi, currently president of the European Union,called for European solidarity with the United States amidFrench attempts for Europe to separate itself from America.
"Selfishness, narcissism and division will never win,"Mr Berlusconi said. "We need to revive the huge strength ofcohesion."
On Iraq, Mr Bush said he would welcome more internationalsupport for helping increase security in the chaotic country,where American troops continue to die every day under guerrillaattack by Saddam Hussein loyalists and others.
"The more people involved in Iraq, the better off we willbe," said Mr Bush, who is under increasing political pressure tobring home US troops.
But he doubted a new UN resolution was necessary as amandate for the support, saying the existing resolution 1483"empowers countries to make a proper decision to get involvedin Iraq."
Some countries are asking for a new resolution, andUS officials have not ruled it out entirely.
Mr Bush's blast at Syria and Iran was unprompted. It came inhis opening statement as he talked about the possibility forprogress in the Middle East, with Palestinian Prime MinisterMr Mahmoud Abbas coming to Washington for talks on Friday withMr Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon to follow in thedays ahead.
"Today Syria and Iran continue to harbor and assistterrorists. This behavior is completely unacceptable and statesthat support terror will be held accountable," Mr Bush said.