Syria is rejecting President Bush's charges that it sponsors terrorism, saying the claims are "useless" and aimed at appeasing conservatives in the United States.
Speaking Thursday on Arab television, Syrian Information Minister Mehdi Dakhlallah said "everyone" knows Syria is cooperating in the fight against terrorism.
He criticized Washington for including Lebanon's Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organizations, saying the group is singled out by the United States because of its opposition to Israel.
In his State of the Union address, President Bush accused Damascus of allowing terrorists to use Syrian and Lebanese territory to attack Israel and "destroy every chance of peace" in the Middle East.
Hezbollah battled Israel during the Jewish state's 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon, and continues to skirmish with Israeli forces in disputed border areas.
Some information for this story provided by AP and AFP.
