Bush freezes assets of those tied to Lebanon violence

WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) President George W Bush ordered today a freeze on the US assets of anyone Washington deems to be undermining Lebanon's pro-Western government.

The Bush administration did not identify those targeted by the decree, but it comes just a month after he imposed a US travel ban on Syrian officials and Lebanese politicians whom the United States accuses of fomenting instability in Lebanon.

The State Department said that Iranian interests could also be affected by Bush's latest order.

The move follows repeated US calls for Damascus to stop meddling in Lebanon, where Washington is trying to shore up the embattled government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

Bush's executive order targets anyone considered to be fueling violence in Lebanon or contributing to what it called ''Syrian interference'' in the country.

''The president signed this executive order because Lebanon's sovereignty and democratic institutions are increasingly under attack,'' said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.

Bush has sought to isolate Syria and Iran diplomatically, accusing both countries of sponsoring terrorism, inciting trouble in Iraq and backing Hamas and Hezbollah militants opposed to Israel.

Damascus, which withdrew its forces from Lebanon in 2005 after a 29-year military presence, has denied the accusations, and Tehran has also rejected US charges.

Bush's order said the Treasury secretary, in consultation with the secretary of state, would designate those whose US property and business interests would be frozen.

''Certainly Iran and Syria are the principle sponsors, I would say, of both efforts to undermine the government in Lebanon and efforts to promote militia violence ... and the other things we've talked about in Iraq,'' State Department spokesman Tom Casey told reporters.

''So to the extent that those countries are engaged in supporting those kinds of negative activities, then, yes, it's very much directed against them and their unhelpful efforts.'' Lebanon has been shaken by a power struggle between the government and Hezbollah-led opponents, recent fighting between security forces and militants in Palestinian refugee camps and the car bomb assassination of lawmaker Walid Eido in June.

The United States backed a May 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 AK BST0216