SYRIA’S foreign minister arrived in Baghdad yesterday at a time when his country is increasingly seen as key to helping stem the insurgency in Iraq.

Syria’s foreign minister arrived in Baghdad today, becoming the highest ranking official from his country to visit since the war began in 2003.

A suicide bomber in a minibus lured labourers to his vehicle with promises of a job this morning then blew it up, killing 22 people and wounding 44 in the mainly Shiite southern Iraqi city of Hillah.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lashed out at MPs today, ordering them to stop criticising his government and instead declare their loyalty to a unified Iraq - not their religious sects or political parties.

Syria opposes the deployment of an international force along its border to prevent arms shipments to Hezbollah, and Israel is calling the situation in Lebanon “explosive”.

Syria has threatened to close its border with Lebanon if UN peacekeepers are deployed along the border, Finland’s foreign minister said today.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said today that Arab foreign ministers meeting in Beirut would discuss the possibility of holding an emergency summit on Lebanon later this week.

Syria will exercise its influence on Hezbollah if “circumstances” change in Lebanon, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said today after meeting with Syria’s president.

Russia’s foreign minister said he expects the Palestinian group Hamas to move closer to meeting international demands within two weeks – including setting up foreign aid monitoring and recognising Israel, according to a newspaper interview published today.

Britain, France and the United States expect the UN Security Council will approve a tough resolution demanding that Syria co-operate with the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

A Syrian minister denied threatening assassinated Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, as the US and Britain called for an international stand against Damascus.