Saudi FM: Iraq facing danger of large-scale civil war

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal warned Wednesday that Iraq is undergoing a very dangerous situation that portends a large-scale civil war.
"This very serious situation of today's Iraq, which bears in itself the seeds of a civil war, may not be predicted in terms of its impact and repercussions on the region," Prince Al-Faisal said in his speech at the 41th session the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held here today.
Al-Faisal, who chairs the meeting, blamed the international community's failure to resolve the years-long Syrian conflict and Iraqi government's failure to inclusive approach in dealing with different segments of the Iraqi society for the recent deterioration.
"It seems that the repercussions of the Syrian situation have created a climate helped to deepen the internal unrest prevailing already in Iraq as a result of the sectarian and exclusionary method which resulted in the dismantling of cohesion among components of the Iraqi people," he said.
The Saudi top diplomat added that the Iraqi government's behavior has paved "The way for whoever wants to cause harm to go ahead with the plans threatening the Iraqi security, stability and the fragmentation of its national unity as well as dismembering its Arab belonging." With regard to the situation in Syria, Al-Faisal said that the Syrian crisis has passed a turn for the worse in the wake of the failure of the 2nd Geneva Conference to reach a solution.
"This failure has led to the increasing violence and genocide being practiced by the Syrian regime against its own unarmed people amid receding the chances of a political solution to this crisis," he said.
"This situation is apt to be deteriorated more and more with all its dangerous regional implications unless the international community decides to take a firm stand to put an end to this ugly humanitarian slaughtering and provides the Syrian people with whatever necessary to defend themselves." On the Palestinian cause, Prince Al-Faisal assailed the Israeli intransigence and settlement policy.
He also welcomed Palestinian national reconciliation and the formation of a Palestinian reconciliation government.
"These are important and necessary steps towards building the independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital, and this government that represents the Palestinian people deserves to be supported and dealt with it to achieve the final settlement and the two-State solution from all parties in the international community." Meanwhile, the Saudi Foreign Minister highlighted the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz's call for a donors conference help Egypt overcome the large-scale economic challenges it faces.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's pro-Egypt position emanates from its deep sense that the stability of the Arab Republic of Egypt is a pillar of stability of the Arab and Islamic worlds," he underlined, hoping that this conference would conclude a strong stance that encourages brothers and friends of Egypt to respond to this call and to actively participate in any effort to make Egypt retain its Arab and regional role in the region.
Prince Al-Faisal also touched upon the troubles facing Muslims in different parts of the world particularly in Myanmar and the Central African Republic.
The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) started at the Conference Palace in Jeddah today its 41st session under the title of "Exploring Areas of Islamic Cooperation'' in the presence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and the OIC Secretary General Iyad bin Amin Madani. The OIC member states are participating in the two-day session.