US Secretary of State Colin Powell has called on Syria to back American plans to increase security in the Middle East. He said there was a 'new strategic situation' following the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the publication of an international 'roadmap' for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The top US diplomat also said Lebanon should stop activities of Hezbollah 'guerrillas' on the Israeli border and called on Syria to end its support. But Powell told reporters in Beirut on the final stage of his four-nation trip that Syria's President Bashar al-Assad had said only that the points he raised would be considered. The BBC's Lyse Doucet says Mr Powell adopted a tough tone and made it clear that the US expects Syria and Lebanon to comply with Washington's plans for the region. But while some offices of anti-Israeli groups in Damascus have been closed down, our correspondent warns that Syria may be less amenable to demands over bodies such as Hezbollah which it considers legitimate. Powell said there were opportunities to resolve long-standing issues - such as Syrian troops in Lebanon and Israel's seizure from Syria of the Golan Heights - but all sides had to take action. "It is time we believe for the Lebanese army to deploy to the border and end the armed Hezbollah militia presence," he said. The US also want Syria to crack down on the presence in Damascus of groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad which launch attacks on Israel. Powell acknowledged that Syria closed the offices of some groups before his arrival. But he said: "I expect them to do more with respect to access and appearances of various officials of these organisations." **Bush Warning *** Relations between Washington and Damascus deteriorated last month as the US accused Syria of trying to undermine it during the war in Iraq. Powell stressed there were no plans for any military action against Syria. But in his weekly radio address, President George W Bush made what correspondents say was another warning to countries like Syria and North Korea who are accused by Washington of aiding terrorists or developing weapons of mass destruction. "Our government has taken unprecedented measures to defend our homeland and, more importantly, we will continue to hunt the enemy down before he can strike," Bush said. Powell described his talks with Assad as "candid" and "straightforward". "There is a new strategic situation here," he told reporters after the talks. "We want to co-operate with Syria in adapting to that new strategic situation and we will be watching very carefully and anxious to engage with Syria on various performance measures as we go forward." He did not elaborate on what such performance measures might be. **Arms demands *** US officials have voiced fears that officials from Saddam Hussein's regime could have sought refuge in Syria and that chemical and biological weapons could have been hidden over the border. For its part, Syria is calling for the removal of all "destructive weapons" from the region as a key step towards stability. Israel is known to have a nuclear weapons arsenal. But Powell said the time was not yet right for such discussions. Powell's trip to Lebanon, Syria, Albania and Spain coincided with the publication of the 'peace roadmap' for Israel and the Palestinians and a declared end of combat operations in Iraq. **PHOTO CAPTION*** US Secretary of State Colin Powell (L) and Lebanese President Emil Lahoud (L), (Photo Reuters)