"It's a mark of military failure of the American-British invasion to Iraq," Wehbe told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.

"And because of the failure, it (the US) is trying to mislead the Americans unfortunately by fabricating the accusations here and there," Wehbe said.

Asked about Syria's reaction if Washington raises the issue with the Security Council, Wehbe said Syria would respond if the US side took such a move.

Earlier in the day, US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld warned Syria against providing military equipment to Iraq, saying the United States would hold Syria accountable for the "hostile acts."

"We have information that shipments of military supplies have been crossing the border from Syria into Iraq, including night-vision goggles," Rumsfeld told a news conference in Pentagon.

"We consider such trafficking as hostile acts and will hold the Syrian government accountable for such shipments," he warned. "It vastly complicates our situation and poses a direct threat to the lives of coalition forces."

The US side earlier also accused Russia of exporting night-vision goggles and other military equipment to Iraq, a charge totally denied by Moscow.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2003)