By Khaled Yacoub Oweis DAMASCUS, April 14 (Reuters) - Iraq's neighbours agreed on Monday to step up security cooperation at a meeting attended by the United States, but delegates said political divisions undermined the regional effort to stop an influx of militants. The two-day conference on ways to prevent threats to the U.S.-backed Iraqi government from abroad concluded as fighting resumed in Baghdad after a day's lull between U.S. and government forces and fighters loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has ties with Iran. The meeting, attended by officials from Iraq's six neighbours plus the United States, Russia and the European Union, recommended adopting international standards in combating terrorism and exchange of security information on groups fighting the elected government. "Activating information channels on security issues is a must," said a conference document obtained by Reuters. The U.S. embassy in Damascus said in a statement Washington hoped the conference, the second in six months, would translate into "serious commitment" to halting infiltration into Iraq. Terrorist support networks throughout the region "continue to be a significant threat to the stability of Iraq," the statement added. BIGGER SCOPE Senior Iraqi official Labid Abbawi said infiltration had declined sharply since last year, partly due to a crackdown by several of Iraq's neighbours, but indirectly criticised Iran for allegedly helping the Sadr revolt. "We are not in the business of naming names. We have complaints about some of our neighbours. There are problems and a bigger scope for security cooperation," Abbawi said. "Joint committees and liaison officers agreed upon need to be activated." Delegates said Jordan was doing the most to secure the border with Iraq while Iran and Syria lacked the political incentive for a similar effort by virtue of their confrontations with the United States. "Syria and Iran ultimately do not want the United States to emerge victorious in Iraq, otherwise Washington would be more focused on turning its efforts against them," one of the delegates said. "This has been the underlying tone of all conferences on Iraq. Look at the latest events there. It is difficult to say that Moqtada al-Sadr is holding out the way he is doing without Iranian support," he added. The Iranian envoy to the meeting said the Islamic Republic was playing a "constructive role" to end the fighting. Prodded by the United States, Iraq's neighbours agreed last year to hold regular security conferences. Foreign ministers will meet in Kuwait this week. The last security gathering in Damascus six months ago agreed to establish liaison mechanisms and field arrangements to strengthen Iraq's borders. (Editing by Jon Boyle)
Iraq's Foreign Affairs minister Hoshiyar Zebari gestures as he speaks during an interview with Reuters in Baghdad April 13, 2008. REUTERS/Mahmoud Raouf Mahmoud (IRAQ) ...
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