Six Gulf Arab states, key regional US allies, have rejected US accusations that Syria was developing chemical weapons and harbouring Iraqi officials, and said a foreign occupation of Iraq should end quickly.
"We think the threat to Syria should stop. We don't think Syria wants a war or to escalate any situation... We reject any infringement of Syria's security," Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani told reporters.
"We are watching this with great care and if there is any problem to be solved it is to be solved by direct negotiations by both sides," he said after an emergency meeting of foreign ministers of six Gulf states in the Saudi capital.
Syria has denounced the US accusations as threats and falsifications designed to further Israeli interests.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said earlier Washington has concerns about the policies of Syria and Iran but had no "war plan" to attack them or others.
Sheikh Hamad also said the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) wanted US-led forces to leave Iraq as soon as possible and hand over control of the country to its people.