"The kidnappings and brutal murders of innocent people by terrorists are intended to undermine the resolve of governments assisting in the reconstruction of Iraq," a foreign ministry statement said.

"Succumbing to such threats will only increase the dangers, weaken the Iraqi government and delay Iraq's reintegration into the world economy. The terrorists are working against the best interests of the Iraqi people."

The foreign affairs ministry released the comments to "strongly support" the US government's statement on Wednesday that all 32 members of the military coalition in Iraq were united in their resolve not to bow to terrorists there.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the policy was expected to be announced publicly by the other members of the coalition in the coming days.

"As members of the multinational force in Iraq ... we're united in our resolve to make no concessions to terrorists, nor to succumb to terrorist threats," Boucher said, reading the US version of the joint statement.

"We're committed to making sure that the perpetrators of terrorist acts against our citizens and soldiers are brought to justice.

"We understand that conceding to terrorists will only endanger all members of the multinational force, as well as other countries who are contributing to Iraqi reconstruction and humanitarian assistance."

Australia and Kazakhstan have put out similar statements on the common policy, which Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy initially suggested as a way to counter increasing kidnappings and executions of foreigners in Iraq.

The British foreign office has also expressed support for the initiative.

Singapore has a tiny military contribution to the Iraqi war effort, with 33 personnel currently on a three-month deployment aboard an air force tanker aircraft.

It has previously sent other minor, but symbolically important, contributions, including the two-month dispatch of 31 armed forces personnel on board a C-130 transport plane early this year.

Aside from the C-130 crew, 160 personnel on a landing ship returned to Singapore in February after two months in the Gulf and 32 Singaporean police personnel were deployed last year to train the Iraqi police force.

Singapore, a tiny Southeast Asian nation of just over four million people, is a strong economic and military ally of the United States.

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