UPDATE 1-Bush bans US entry by Syrians with Lebanon links

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) President George W Bush today banned entry to the United States by Syrian and Lebanese officials whom Washington accuses of undermining the Lebanese government, the White House said.

The list of Syrian officials the United States considers to have meddled in Lebanon includes Assef Shawkat, Syria's director of military intelligence, and Hisham Ikhtiyar, adviser to President Bashar al-Assad, according to information provided by the White House.

The US move followed repeated calls by Washington for Damascus to stop fomenting instability in Lebanon.

Bush has sought to isolate Syria diplomatically. He accuses Damascus of sponsoring terrorism, not doing enough to prevent foreign fighters from crossing into Iraq, doing little to rein in Hamas and Hezbollah militants opposed to Israel and undermining the Lebanese government.

Damascus has denied the accusations.

''This is a tool the United States has to demonstrate to Syria our desire for them to stop meddling in Lebanon,'' White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters about the travel ban.

The United States supported a recent UN Security Council resolution setting up an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was killed in 2005. Syria has been accused of complicity, a charge it denies.

REUTERS AM KP2317