U.S. turns up heat on Syria
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 U.S. blames Syria-based group for Friday's attack in Tel Aviv.
 The complex relationship between Lebanon and Syria.
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The Bush administration is stepping up its pressure on Syria, calling on it to immediately pull its troops out of Lebanon and accusing Syrian-based terrorists of planning Friday's suicide bombing in Israel.
Meanwhile Wednesday, Lebanon's top pro-Syrian officials were holding talks on selecting a new prime minister. Omar Karami resigned Monday after two weeks of protests over the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Angry protesters blamed Syria and the government, either directly or indirectly, for the February 14 assassination. Syria denies the charge.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also said she had "firm evidence" that Syrian-based Palestinian Islamic Jihad was "involved in planning" the Tel Aviv suicide bombing.
"There is firm evidence that Palestinian Islamic Jihad, sitting in Damascus, not only knew about these attacks but was involved in the planning," Rice told ABC News.
"And so the Syrians have a lot to answer for," Rice said. "We don't know the degree of Syrian involvement, but certainly what is happening on the territory of Syria, in and around Damascus, is clearly threatening to the different kind of Middle East we're trying to grow.
"We will be prepared to talk with others ... with the Israelis, with the Palestinians, with others in the region about this."
Rice was speaking from London, where she was attending talks Tuesday on bolstering the new Palestinian Authority leadership. (Full story)
In Washington, a Bush administration official, reading from an internal administration communication, made a similar statement.
The official said the United States had obtained "firm evidence that the bombing on the 25th of February was not only authorized by Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus but that PIJ leaders also were actively involved in planning." (Full story)
The official declined to describe the evidence, saying only that it was based on "U.S. intelligence."
Nor would the official say whether the administration had or was planning to share the information with the government of Syria. The White House has repeatedly accused Syria of allowing terrorist organizations to operate within its borders.
The new conclusion comes as the Bush White House already is demanding that Syria immediately pull its troops and intelligence services from Lebanon and allow free and fair elections -- and complaining that Syria has allowed supporters of the Iraqi insurgency to operate and run supply lines within Syria.
In London on Wednesday, Syrian Ambassador to Britain Sami Khiyami told CNN that Syria was "unequivocally" not involved in the Tel Aviv bombing, and that "Syria is against this act of terror."
Asked about U.S. officials' comments about the involvement of Syrian-based terrorists, Khiyami said: "I think these accusations are interesting, because I didn't see any American investigation team going to Israel and really investigating about the crime that happened in Tel Aviv.
"As usual, we are taking the Israeli intelligence evidence as truth, and this is really a shame. I think one should look at the matter a little bit more in depth. Why would such an operation take place?
"Syria has always been against the killing of civilians. Syria is backing (Palestinian Authority President) Mr. Mahmoud Abbas in his quest for peace, and Syria has helped Mr. Mahmoud Abbas to achieve consensus with the other Palestinian organizations in order to make his peace process possible," Khiyami said.
The Syrian ambassador also addressed comments by Syrian President Bashar Assad in an interview with TIME magazine that indicated he would withdraw Syria's 15,000 troops from Lebanon "maybe in the next few months."
When asked when Syria will be out of Lebanon completely, Assad told TIME: "It should be very soon and maybe in the next few months. Not after that. I can't give you a technical answer. The point is the next few months." (TIME interview
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Khiyami told CNN: "What is most important, I'm sure Mr. Assad is worried about the country which has every interest in destabilizing Lebanon, which is Israel. And basically he wants to be assured Israel will not use the withdrawal from Lebanon to exert more pressures in Syria and not to go along with the Syrian proposal for peace."
Ordinary Syrians said on Wednesday Lebanese protesting against the presence of Syrian troops in their country would be at war without them. (Full story)
Rice on Tuesday offered support to Lebanon for free and fair elections scheduled this spring.
"Events in Lebanon are moving in a very important direction," she said. "The Lebanese people are starting to express their aspirations for democracy ... This is something that we support very much."
Rice said Lebanon's elections must be free of "contaminating influences" and suggested international peacekeepers might be needed if Syria withdraws its troops.
"As we see how the Lebanese will move forward I think we have to look at what can be done in terms of helping them to stabilize the situation, should that become necessary," Rice said.
CNN's John King, Guy Raz and Yoav Appel contributed to this report.
