Iraq s U.N. ambassador criticizes Syria

NEW YORK - The Syrians could do more to prevent terrorists from crossing their border into Iraq, an issue that will be on the agenda of an upcoming security conference in Baghdad, Iraq's U.N. ambassador said Thursday.

Hamid Al Bayati, speaking at New York University's Center of Global Affairs, said the Syrian government could play an important role in improving the security of Iraq by taking control of monitoring its border.

"Most of the terrorists, especially suicide bombers" pass through the Syrian border, he said.

Al Bayati, who became Iraq's U.N. ambassador in April, said the terrorists were from many different countries and did not necessarily come from Syria.

The Syrians have claimed that they need surveillance equipment including night vision cameras to better patrol their border with Iraq, Al Bayati said.

"They expected at the beginning for the Americans to give such equipment. They said that the Americans didn't give them such equipment, so they can't guard the borders," he said.

Al Bayati said Syria has done some things to halt suspected terrorists from crossing its border with Iraq, but that much needed to be discussed during a March 10 meeting that will include Iraq's neighbors, Egypt, the five permanent member of the U.N. Security Council - the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China - as well as the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference.

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