DAMASCUS, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) was ready to offer technical and financial aid and the necessary expertise in coordination with the Syrian government to improve the Iraqi refugees situation during their temporary residence in Syria, a visiting EU commissioner said on Sunday.

    The EU's Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel made the remarks in a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the official SANA news agency reported.

    Michel also hailed Syria's role in embracing the refugees and presenting support to them, the report said.

    For his part, Assad reviewed the situation of the Iraqi refugees in Syria, noting "Syria is doing her duty for the Iraqi brothers."

    The president stressed the necessity to increase coordination between Syria, the Iraqi government and the European Commission to improve situations of the Iraqi refugees and ensure them the necessary services, particularly in the education and health fields.

    Syria said that more than one million Iraqi refugees were now residing in the country, accounting for over half of the total exodus who fled the war-wracked Iraq.

    The large influx of Iraqis has inflicted immense burden to Syria¡¯s subsidies system, infrastructure and public services and prices of properties along with daily commodities have climbed up since.

    The Syrian authorities have appealed for international help in providing basic services to the refugees, saying thousands are arriving daily.