Syria slams lack of US aid for Iraqi refugees

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http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2007/July/middleeast_July327.xml§ion=middleeast

DAMASCUS - Syria’s health minister accused Washington on Sunday of not doing enough to help Iraqi refugees, at the start of a two-day conference in Damascus organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Syrian, Jordanian, Egyptian and Iraqi delegations are taking part in the conference, as well as United Nations and WHO representatives.

Since the US-led invasion of 2003, about 2.2 million Iraqis have fled the violence in their country, with Syria hosting the lion’s share of 1.4 million displaced people, followed by Jordan with 750,000 refugees.

Health Minister Maher Hussami told delegates that Syria would ”continue to offer the necessary services to the refugees despite the difficulties.”

He charged that “the country occupying Iraq and which is behind the difficult situation has not been contributing to remedy it,” referring to the United States.