"The Syrian government needs to cooperate with the United States and our coalition partners and not harbor any (Iraqi) Baathists, any military officials, any people who need to be held to account for their tenure," Bush said to reporters after returning to the White House from Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

As whether the United States is going to take military actions against Syria if the latter refuses to cooperate, the US president simply said that "they just need to cooperate." He also suggested that he might contact Syrian leaders later Sunday over the issue.

Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" program on Sunday, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld repeated his accusations that Syria is helping escaped Iraqi leaders.

He said some have remained in Syria, while others have moved onto different countries.

In an interview with NBC on Sunday, however, Syrian Deputy Ambassador to the United States Imad Moustapha denied that his country was harboring escaped Iraqis.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2003)