BAGHDAD/ Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi premier Nouri al-Maliki denied today giving any financial assistance to the Syrian regime, pointing that controlling Iraqi funds is not in the hands of the premier alone.

In a TV interview by Alarabia station, he confirmed that "Iraqis governed by constitutional mechanism where it funds cannot be spent without the supervision of the Cabinet and the Parliament".

He added that "we convinced the Syrian side to sign Arab League protocols and our initiative is valid to solve the crisis".

Maliki disclosed thatIraqhas connections with Syrian opposition, with the aim to achieve "Syrian stability and free elections, because its stability will affect the region as a whole".