Bush demands Syria get Hizbollah to stop attacks

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, July 15 (Reuters) US President George W Bush called on Syria today 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 West Asia violence 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,'' he said.

Reuters AK GC1455