DAMASCUS, Jan 2: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage put pressure on Syria to do more to stop foreign fighters infiltrating Iraq and called for Lebanese sovereignty to be respected, following talks in Damascus on Sunday.

"Syria has made some real improvements in the recent months on border security. We all need to do more, particularly on the question of foreign regime elements participating in activities in Iraq going back and forth from Syria," Armitage said after talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"We had candid, serious, realistic discussions here," said Armitage, who arrived in Damascus via Jordan after a trip to Iraq. "The USA expressed the absolute importance of the Iraqi elections on January 30 and the full participation of all Iraqis."

He said it was important for Iraq to have a very friendly relationship with Syria and that he hoped that Damascus was "committed to that same type of friendship". Armitage, who was accompanied by the State Department's Middle East point man William Burns, also held talks with Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara.

Shara said that "unity, stability and security in Iraq are in the interests of Syria which is ready to continue cooperation with the Iraqi side on reinforcing security on the border."

Syria and the United States are "agreed to make a success of the general elections in all the regions of Iraq," a foreign ministry statement quoted him as saying.

Washington imposed unilateral economic sanctions against Damascus last year over a raft of issues, ranging from its alleged failure to secure its border with Iraq to its dominant role in neighbouring Lebanon, which was also discussed.

"We talked about the necessity of full implementation of the UN resolution 1559 and the need to have no interference from foreign sides in the parliamentary elections in Lebanon next spring," Armitage said.

He was referring to a UN Security Council Resolution passed in September that called for an end to all foreign interference in the affairs of Lebanon and a withdrawal of foreign troops.

The resolution was a clear message to Syria, which dominates the political scene in its smaller neighbour and has about 14,000 troops stationed there. Legislative elections in Lebanon are expected to be held in May.

Despite the continued American pressure on Damascus, Armitage sounded a conciliatory note in an interview with Arab media a few days earlier, saying "I would hope for a much better day with Syria, but it's all up to Assad and his colleagues."

A particular sticking point in improved relations was the alleged presence of fugitive Iraqi officials in Syria, from where they were suspected of financing attacks on US troops.

"There were several former Baathists who, apparently, are allowed to range fairly freely in Syria, and we believe are responsible for some of the funding... that funds insurgent activities in Iraq," he said in the interview.

In Damascus, Armitage also mentioned the Palestinian presidential election set for January 9, saying it was "a moment of opportunity in the peace process." He said that Washington remained committed to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and that "we should all support" the new post-election Palestinian leadership.

Armitage was due in the Turkish capital Ankara later Sunday for talks on Iraq with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. -AFP