Iraq's Prime Minster Mr Iyad Allawi urged Egypt today not to give in to kidnappers who have taken an Egyptian diplomat hostage in Baghdad.
"The only way to deal with terrorists is to bring them to justice and to close ranks and we hope that Egypt and the Egyptian government would act accordingly," Mr Allawi told a news conference in the Syrian capital.
He said Iraq's interim government was doing everything it could to secure the release of Mohamed Mamdouh Qutb, who was seized after reports Cairo might consider helping Iraq with security arrangements.
"We are going to win. I assure you of that and we are going to prevail and the terrorists will be brought to justice," Mr Allawi said.
Mr Allawi visited Cairo this week and discussed the possibility of using Egyptian troops in training Iraq's forces, but Egyptian officials have been quick to emphasise that no deal was struck.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said last night the government had no plans to send forces to Iraq.
"He (Gheit) affirmed that Egypt sending any forces or military personnel to Iraq was not a matter that has been proposed at all," Egypt's official news agency MENA said.
Mr Allawi said he also discussed with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad the issue of securing the border between Syria and Iraq.
US officials have repeatedly accused Syria of failing to do enough to keep anti-US militants from crossing into Iraq, though the U.S. military acknowledges that foreign fighters account for few of the detained guerrilla suspects.
The official Syrian Arab News Agency quoted Assad as telling Allawi that "Syria will not spare any effort...to contribute to achieving security" for fellow Arab Iraqis.
Mr Allawi criticised the Philippines decision to pull out its 51 troops a month early in response to militants' demands and sparing the life of a Filipino hostage.
"It was regrettable...it's no way really to give in to the terrorists' demands," he said.