Arab countries, including Iran and Syria, must support the democratically elected government in Iraq in order to avert a civil war there Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said here on Friday.
Speaking to the press after his meeting here with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, D'Alema said "we must ask our Arab friends to help stabilize Iraq by supporting the democratically elected government".
"In this way we can create an alliance for peace and democracy capable of steering us away from the risk of a conflict between the West and Islam," he added.
According to the Italian diplomatic chief, the US is aware that in order to overcome the volatile situation in the Middle East an alliance is needed with the Arab world.
"I believe the US understands that to break the chain of conflicts which stretches from Afghanistan to Lebanon to Palestine, an alliance is needed with the greater part of the Arab world," D'Alema said.
The foundation for such an alliance, he explained, "must certainly start with working towards the principle request from the Arab world, which is creating hope for peace in Palestine".
Dialogue with the Arab world, D'Alema observed, must involve all nations in the region, including both Syria and Iran.
"The conflict in Iraq risks spreading to neighboring countries in the region, pitting Shi'ites against Sunnites, and thus these countries must be involved in finding a solution," the foreign minister said.
At the same time, D'Alema added, it must be taken into consideration that countries like Syria and Iran have different approaches and agendas for the situation in the region.
