The United States urged Syria on Tuesday to safeguard its border with Iraq to prevent insurgents from crossing into the country to fight against the US-led coalition there.

"I continue to hope that the Syrians to live up to their international obligations concerning Iraq, which means to do what they can on their border to safeguard that border," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after she met with French Foreign Minister Philippe Douse-Blazy.

"I too have been reading the reports of clashes between Syrian forces and Iraqi insurgents or Saddam Hussein's bodyguards. If that is the case, then that would be a good thing," Rice said.

The United States has been pressing Syria to guard against its border with Iraq and Damascus has rebutted the criticism.

Source: Xinhua