GENEVA (AP) -- The U.S., Britain and other EU countries must accept more Iraqi refugees to avert a humanitarian crisis in Middle Eastern countries overwhelmed by tens of thousands fleeing the violence each month, human rights groups warned Monday.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Refugee Council singled out Britain as needing to do more. In a joint appeal to the United States and the European Union, it particularly asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair to "take the lead in Europe by immediately announcing a program to resettle some of the Iraqi refugees currently living in the most difficult conditions."

In the letter, released on the eve of the first global meeting to address the Iraqi refugee crisis, the organizations indicated the United States had taken a step in the right direction by announcing it would accept up to 7,000 Iraqi refugees for resettlement, up from 202 in 2006.

"The U.K. has done nothing to allow Iraqi refugees displaced by the conflict the chance to resettle in the U.K. — including people who have shown great loyalty and service to the U.K. in Iraq," they said. In a separate statement, Amnesty called on Western countries to set up a resettlement program for Iraqis that goes "far beyond token numbers and should constitute a significant part of the solution to the current crisis."

Years of oppression under Saddam Hussein followed by the violent aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion have driven some 2 million Iraqis from their homeland, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Another 1.9 million have been displaced within Iraq.

Some 50,000 people flee Iraq each month, mostly to Syria and Jordan, UNCHR said.

Amnesty urged those countries to make their needs clear at a two-day UNCHR conference on Iraqi refugees that opens Tuesday in Geneva.

More than 450 officials from 60 countries, along with Red Cross and other humanitarian workers are expected to attend the conference, the first global attempt to address the Iraqi refugee crisis.

"The Middle East is on the verge of a new humanitarian crisis unless the European Union, U.S. and other states take urgent and concrete measures to assist the more than 3 million people forcibly displaced by the conflict in Iraq," Amnesty said.

The London-based group called on Western governments to step up financial and technical aid to help Middle Eastern countries provide social services for the refugees.

Syria has taken in some 1.2 million Iraqis, and Jordan is hosting between 500,000 and 750,000, according to UNHCR. Egypt has 120,000 and Lebanon is home to at least 20,000 Iraqi refugees.

Jordan's government has recently tightened restrictions on entry and residency permits for Iraqis, effectively stripping many of their legal status.

In Syria, many Iraqis have been forced into exploitative jobs, the UN said. The majority have relied on extended family and savings, but many of the recent refugees have no such support.