France said today the time was not right for the United States to raise pressure on Syria by accusing it of aiding Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's crumbling regime.
French Foreign Minister Mr Dominique de Villepin said after meeting Lebanese leaders the international community should focus instead on rebuilding Iraq and reviving Middle East peace efforts.
"The time is not correct. The time is to work together," Mr Villepin told a news conference in response to a question on France's position over the US accusations against Syria.
"The time is for consultation, for dialogue, and we should be very careful in putting all our energies to try to find solutions because we do have enough problems," he said before heading for Saudi Arabia, his last stop on a Middle East tour.
Senior figures in US President George W. Bush's administration have accused Syria, which maintains broad political and military influence in neighbouring Lebanon, in recent weeks of providing military aid to Saddam.
A staunch opponent of the war on Iraq, Syria has dismissed the US accusations as baseless and has repeatedly warned that the conflict could throw the region into chaos.