UN chief urges divided Arab states to come together on Syria

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres talks to Syrian refugees in a 4th grade classroom at the U.N.-run Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, in northern Jordan, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Guterres appealed to Arab states to overcome their divisions on Syria and help end the country's six-year-old civil war. The U.N. chief is to attend an annual Arab Summit in Jordan on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh) (The Associated Press)

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, second left, visits the U.N.-run Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, in northern Jordan, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Guterres appealed to Arab states to overcome their divisions on Syria and help end the country's six-year-old civil war. The U.N. chief is to attend an annual Arab Summit in Jordan on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh) (The Associated Press)

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres visits the U.N.-run Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, in northern Jordan, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Guterres appealed to Arab states to overcome their divisions on Syria and help end the country's six-year-old civil war. The U.N. chief is to attend an annual Arab Summit in Jordan on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh) (The Associated Press)

The U.N. secretary-general has appealed to Arab nations to set aside differences and help end Syria's six-year-old civil war.

Antonio Guterres made the appeal while visiting the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan on Tuesday, a day ahead of attending a key annual Arab summit hosted this year by Jordan.

He says Arab divisions over Syria have inadvertently given a boost to terror groups by allowing "others to intervene or manipulate situations, creating instability, breeding conflict, and facilitating the life of terrorist organizations."

Turkey, Russia and Iran have become major players in the conflict that has displaced millions of Syrians.

Guterres says more doors are now being closed to the displaced. He says in not helping refugees, the world is inadvertently boosting terror groups and increasing global security risks.