Syria 'hostile' towards Iraqis: Baghdad

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Baghdad lashed out at Damascus, saying the strife-torn country's western neighbour was hostile towards Iraqis after it imposed new time limits for refugees staying in Syria.

"Syria's attitude was hostile towards Iraqis in the way they dealt with the Iraqi issue," said Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh in reference to new time limits imposed by Damascus on Iraqi refugees in Syria.

Since January 20, Syrian authorities have issued only two-week permits to Iraqis staying in the country that can be renewed just once, if the applicant possesses certain documents including a rental contract.

Before that date, Iraqis who fled to Syria to escape bloodshed in their homeland were allowed to apply for residency permits that could be renewed every three months.

"There are a huge number of Iraqi refugees in Syria owing to the abnormal situation in Iraq," Dabbagh told state television Al-Iraqiya.

"They are there for a temporary period. But Syria imposed measures on residency which are very rare. By these measures they will put hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in a dire situation, and this is not a friendly attitude."

Dabbagh said the situation was disastrous for Iraqis living in Syria, and added: "There is anger among Iraqis over the Syrian attitude and there is anger from Iraq."

On January 28 Syrian aviation authorities also grounded all flights from Baghdad, citing technical reasons.

Dabbagh said Baghdad had given necessary assurances regarding the state carrier Iraqi Airways, and said he hoped that flights would resume soon.

The United Nations says at least 600,000 Iraqis have fled to Syria to escape violence at home.

More than 100 Iraqi refugees on Thursday gathered outside UN offices in Damascus to seek help in countering the new time limits on their stay in Syria.

"We appeal to Syria and its top officials to be reasonable. But there is a group inside the Syrian leadership which is trying to sabotage any efforts" of friendship, Dabbagh added.

Baghdad and Damascus restored diplomatic relations in November after more than two decades, with a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem to Iraq.

And last month Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visited Damascus with a ministerial delegation for a nearly week-long visit.

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