Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Saudi opposes a divided Iraq
Politics, Region
Saudi Arabia yesterday opposed plans to divide Iraq into autonomous regions on ethnic and sectarian grounds. The Council of Ministers said the Kingdom would side with Iraqi patriotic forces that work for the country’s unity. The Iraqi Parliament has approved the law but the country’s Sunnis opposed it saying it would lead to the creation of sectarian mini-states.
“The Kingdom will stand with all patriotic forces that work for Iraq’s unity,” said the Cabinet in a statement issued after the weekly meeting chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah on Monday night. “The Cabinet hopes that the leaders of Iraq and its wise men and Islamic scholars would uphold their duty of standing against attempts to partition the country under whatever guise,” the statement said. The Cabinet statement comes two days before a meeting of Iraqi religious leaders arranged by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Makkah.
“The Kingdom will stand with all patriotic forces that work for Iraq’s unity,” said the Cabinet in a statement issued after the weekly meeting chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah on Monday night. “The Cabinet hopes that the leaders of Iraq and its wise men and Islamic scholars would uphold their duty of standing against attempts to partition the country under whatever guise,” the statement said. The Cabinet statement comes two days before a meeting of Iraqi religious leaders arranged by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Makkah.
