Military act against Iraq unjustifiable: Nouri

Syria's vice-president on Wednesday discussed with the chairman of the Iranian Shoura council, Ali Akbar Nateq Nouri, the latest developments concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Israeli - Turkish alliance, the situation in Iraq and bilateral relations.

Khaddam said that any political act against Iraq is dangerous and will create a grave situation. Khaddam said that a military strike against Iraq would cause the Islamic and Arab states harm. He continued, that Israel practices aggression, violates UN resolutions and launches attacks against the Lebanese, the Palestinians and Syrians, and "we" miss any sound confrontation of these Israeli practices, adding that Israel has constantly defied and prevented the UN Security Council from adopting suitable decisions.

He warned against dangers threatening the Arab and Islamic nations, pointing out that the eighth Islamic summit conference held recently in Tehran was an Islamic turning point and the attendees must cooperate to implement the conference resolutions.

Replying a question on the Turkish-Israeli military alliance, Khaddam stressed that this military alliance is not directed at Syria only, rather against the whole area and aims at imposing hegemony on the peoples of the region, on Iran and Central Asian republics. "We have to beware of this danger and do our utmost to convince Turkey of the fact that its interests can not be attained through this alliance, rather through a return to its natural place in the Islamic world", Khaddam added.

For his part, Nouri said he had discussed with Khaddam the situation in northern Iraq, the current Iraqi crisis, and the consequences of the recent Turkish - Israeli - US maneuvers on the stability of the region. "Our points of view on debated issues were similar," Nouri concluded.