Syria, home to up to 1.5 million Iraqi refugees, has decided to require visas for Iraqis entering the country for economic, trade and educational purposes, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry says.

The new rules take effect Sept. 10, the ministry said in a statement Thursday on its Web site.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was informed about the Syrian decision by his counterpart Walid Moallem in a telephone conversation Thursday, the ministry said.

The Syria move is seen as an attempt by the Arab state to reduce the flow of more than 30,000 Iraqi refugees every month.

Syria is one of the easiest countries for Iraqis to visit, although the Syrians have been tightening regulations as the flow of Iraqis continues.

Iraqis can stay up to three months. After that they can simply leave any border crossing and enter the same day to start a new three months. Until recently, Iraqis were allowed to stay in the country for six months before having to leave.

It was unclear how the rules would effect Iraqis who try to enter Syria simply to take refuge.

"Minister Moallem clarified that the Syrian government has decided to start the work of entry visa system to Iraqi citizens as of September, 10. 2007 to those who are going for economic, trade and educational purposes," according to the Iraqi Web site.

It said Moallem asked the Iraqi government to cooperate in this field.

Syria and Jordan host the largest number of the more than 2 million displaced Iraqis and both governments complain of the increasing burdens on their health and education infrastructures. Jordan has made it more difficult to Iraqis to enter in the past to try reduce the flow.

During a visit to Syria earlier this month, Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki pledged to help Syria on the increasing flow of refugees from Iraq -- about 1.5 million are living in Syria, mostly in the capital Damascus and the suburbs. The refugees are straining the country's education, health and housing infrastructure, Syrian officials say.

The head of the U.N. refugee agency on Thursday praised Syria and Jordan for taking in fleeing Iraqis and urged the international community to show its solidarity by providing more direct, bilateral support.

Antonio Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also highlighted the need to separate the political dimensions and relations in the region -- especially regarding Syria -- from the humanitarian problem at hand.

AP