Syria sees no peace after Lebanon war

DAMASCUS, Aug 15 (Reuters) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said today that peace in the West Asia would remain elusive for the foreseeable future and the United States was to blame.

''It is evident that after six years of this (US) administration that there is no peace and there will be none in the foreseeable future,'' Assad said in a speech to the Syrian Journalists Union.

Assad, 40, praised Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrillas for resisting Israeli forces during five weeks of war and said their actions would make the Jewish state think twice before pursuing ''terrorist policies'' in the region.

Syria, whose Golan Heights have been occupied by Israel since 1967, is a main supporter of Hizbollah.

Israel launched an aerial and ground offensive on Lebanon after the Shi'ite Lebanese group captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12. A truce went into effect yesterday.

REUTERS KD KN1702