Tuesday, May 24 2005 11:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The United States has asked the Palestinian Authority to advance democratic reform and "dismantle all terrorist networks in its society."

In a hard-hitting speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's Annual Policy Conference, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also urged Arab states to "end all incitement in their media, cut off all support for terrorism and extremist education and establish normal relations with Israel."

On Iran, she said that the United States has focused the world's attention on Iran's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

"And along with our allies, we are working to gain full disclosure of Iran's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. The world must not tolerate any Iranian attempt to develop a nuclear weapon. Nor can it tolerate Iran's efforts to subvert democratic Governments through terrorism," she said.

The Middle East, she said, is changing and "even the un-elected leaders in Tehran must recognize this fact. They must know that the energy of reform that is building all around them will one day inspire Iran's citizens to demand their liberty and their rights. The United States stands with the people of Iran."

President George W Bush has declared that advancing the cause of freedom is the calling of our time and in the broader Middle East, his policies are expanding the scope of what many thought possible. With our support, the people of the region are demonstrating that all great human achievement begins with free individuals who do not accept that the reality of today must also be the reality of tomorrow...," Rice said.