Arab League will not deal with a non-Iraqi administration

The Arab League will not deal with a non-Iraqi administration, AL Secretary-General Amr Moussa said yesterday.

"The League is but a group of Arab countries and I think all the Arab countries agree to deal with an Iraqi administration that is chosen only by the Iraqi people," Moussa said.

In statements to French Radio Orion, Moussa called on Iraq's ethnic and religious factions to unite so that Iraq can "stand on its own two feet."

"I demand all Iraqis: Kurds, Shiite, Sunni, Muslims, Christians and Turkmen to realise the gravity of the situation and look to the future of Iraq and its territorial integrity," Moussa said.

On his participation in the regional conference called for by Saudi Arabia, Moussa denied taking part in the gathering, saying: "it is a meeting of the countries neighbouring Iraq and not within the frame of the League."