Syria considers the US war in Iraq to be terrorism on a par with the attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11th, 2001, writes Michael Jansen in Damascus.
Dr Bouthaina Shaaban, the Syrian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, told The Irish Times: "American officials define terrorism as targeting civilians for political purposes. That's what they are doing in Iraq.
"We are against this war because the first victims are innocent Iraqi civilians - men, women and children - and the targets are hospitals, mosques, houses, schools. . . Syria wants this war to be stopped as soon as possible to prevent more frustration and anger in the region and severe repercussions."
She added: "Syria is engaged in diplomatic consultations with Arab and European countries which oppose the US war on Iraq with the aim of halting the war. These consultations have been with Russia, France and Germany but I don't know how far the consultations have gone.
"There is no clear mechanism for stopping the war. Our efforts are in the political, diplomatic and media spheres," she stated.
"This war is going to introduce an era of instability and insecurity in the region if it goes on for weeks and months. It must be stopped and we must return to the framework of the UN," instead of unilateral actions.
On US plans for the post-war period, she observed: "The replacement of the Iraqi regime by a US-dominated regime will not be accepted by the Iraqis. They will not accept any American puppet. They are entitled to manage their own affairs. If there is an attempt to impose a regime it will lead to another conflict.
"It is wiser to address the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is a better ground for establishing peace and security in the region."
She flatly denied accusations levelled last week by US Secretary of Defence Mr Donald Rumsfeld that Syria was helping Iraq's effort to resist the US campaign by providing the Iraqis with night-vision and other equipment.
"His statement was absolutely groundless, it has nothing to do with reality. \ Gen Vincent Brooks [spokesman for US Central Command in Qatar\] said, 'We haven't seen any night vision goggles with the Iraqis'," contradicting Mr Rumsfeld.
In her view, his allegations constituted "part of the effort to give reasons why the war has not gone as planned. After the second week, he is trying to blame Syria and Iran. Clearly he does not know the history of relations between Syria and the Iraqi regime [which were hostile until recently\]. We were not asked for anything [by the Iraqis\]."
Commenting on Iraqis residing in Syria returning to Baghdad after the war began, she said: "Some of these people have been living here for 20 years and more. They are against the regime and their relatives have been killed. . . But they are going home to fight for their country."
She concluded: "I would like to ask that if the war is, as the Americans say, ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction or getting rid of the regime, why are statements being made about Syria and Iran? This indicates that what Israeli sources say is correct, that the war is a Zionist war to shape the region to suit the Israeli agenda. . . only Israel has an interest in instability in this region.
"Syria continues to press for peaceful solutions for every conflict, adheres to UN resolutions and stands against violence, terrorism and unnecessary wars."