"Iraqis, all forces, movements, parties and organisations alike should forget the past and start working together, wihout any foreign intervention, to set up a democratic and pluralist regime," the official Al-Baath newspaper wrote.

"There is no doubt the task of all layers of Iraqi society is now to maintain the unity of Iraq and ensure the people's right to self-determination," the newspaper said.

The editorial was the first official Syrian reaction since Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed on Wednesday, when virtually unchallenged US troops seized control of most of Baghdad and jubilant crowds set about demolishing the regime's symbols.

Until then, Syria and Iraq had been run by rival branches of the pan-Arab Baath party but had strengthened ties in recent years and Washington has repeatedly accused Syria of suppling Iraq with weapons and military equipment.

The government newspaper Tishrin for its part reiterated the country's opposition to the US-British military offensive which started on March 20 and stressed that Iraq's problems "should be dealt with in the UN Security Council."

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Syria Wednesday of helping the remnants of the Iraqi government to flee Baghdad.

But Secretary of State Colin Powell sought Thursday to assuage fears in Syria and Iran that the United States might be planning military action against them, saying recent US warnings do not mean that "war is coming" to those countries.

SPACE.WIRE