Syria has stopped military and intelligence cooperation with the United States amid strains in relations between the two countries over the insurgency in Iraq, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha said that in the last 10 days, Syria has "severed all links" with the US military and Central Intelligence Agency because of what he called unjust allegations.

Washington has been complaining that Damascus is not doing enough to stop the flow of men and money to the insurgency in Iraq.However, the latter denies the charges.

Moustapha said in the interview that he believed the Bush administration had decided "to escalate the situation with Syria" despite Syrian actions against the insurgents and Syria's military withdrawal from Lebanon in response to international pressure.

He said American complaints resumed in February when Syria handed over a half- brother of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to Iraqi authorities after his capture in Syria.

The renewal of complaints caused Syria to abandon the idea of providing further help, Moustapha said.

"We thought, why should we continue to cooperate?" the newspaper quoted him as saying.

(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2005)