Their talks focused on "efforts by Iraq's neighbors to restore security and stability and to preserve the (country's) territorial integrity" SANA said.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara took part in the discussions, it added.

Prince Faisal's unexpected visit came after the United States stepped up criticism of Syria, accusing Damascus of possessing weapons of mass destruction and allowing senior Iraqi leaders to escape through its territory.

Syrian nationals also battled US troops in Baghdad after entering Iraq by the busload, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld charged Sunday.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa dismissed the allegations of Syrian support for Saddam Hussein's regime as groundless, the official Syrian daily Tishrin said Monday.

"Mussa judged yesterday (Sunday) as groundless the accusations of certain American leaders against Syria," the newspaper said.

"The United States and major powers should use their military force on behalf of the Palestinian cause and end the Israeli occupation of Arab lands," it quoted Mussa as saying.

On Sunday, US President George W. Bush said Syria has chemical weapons, and warned Damascus it must cooperate with Washington as the United States pursues its overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

The Syrian embassy in Washington rejected the charge.

"There is a campaign of false information and disinformation against Syria which began even before the war", the embassy's deputy ambassador Imad Mustapha told NBC television.

SPACE.WIRE