London, Asharq Al-Awsat-US Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice praised the winds of change currently sweeping the Middle East and said they are the result of a desire for more democracy in the region, indicating that “ US foreign policy and the support of President George W. Bush are encouraging reform”. At a meeting in London , on Thursday, with three Arab journalists, attended by Asharq Al Awsat, Rice revealed she saw evidence of vibrant civil organizations, on her latest trip to the region.

The US official had strong words for Syria and its policies in Lebanon and Iraq , revealing that her administration was holding talks with Syrian opposition parties.

She called on Damascus to change course, but signaled that an Iraq-style regime change was not appropriate.

“What we want is to send the Syrians a clear message from everybody that their behavior must change. This means that they should not be in a position to cause instability in Lebanon ”, Rice told Asharq Al Awsat.

Asked whether the US government would go as far as toppling President Bashar Assad’s government, she said:

“Every situation is different from the other. Syria is not Iraq and Iraq is not Syria . Iraq was a special case where there was a problem of weapons of mass destruction, backing terrorism, and UN Security Council resolutions. We were also in a state of war with Iraq .

“The Syrian regime is capable of changing itself, its policies and its behavior with its neighbors. This is the path we hope they will take”, she added.

As for meetings between US officials and representatives from Syrian opposition groups, the US Secretary of State remarked that her government “supports those who seek to change the situation in Syria . Unlike the Egyptian authorities, for example, Damascus has not expressed a desire to change.”

“Our policy is to press on Damascus to change its strategy. We have diplomatic relations with Syria , but our ambassador is still new to the country. We’ve explained to the Syrian government, in the past, what it needs to do.”

Rice reminded the journalists that “former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell visited Damascus, two and a half years ago”, adding that her administration had “spoken with officials in Damascus after the re-election of President Bush.”

Washington stepped up its campaign to isolate Damascus on the international stage following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri in February.

Lebanese opposition leaders accused Damascus , which then had a strong military presence in Lebanon , of being behind the killing — a charge it denied.

Syria bowed to pressure to withdraw its troops in April after anti-Syrian protests swept Lebanon .

Rice has repeatedly accused Syria of fomenting instability in Lebanon , doing too little to stop insurgents crossing into Iraq and supporting anti-Israeli militant groups.

She ended a week-long trip to the Middle East and Europe this week by pushing the issue of Syria at a Group of Eight (G8) gathering in London .