UAE minister: Toppling the government in Iraq would lead to partition

The United Arab Emirates' defense minister, who is also Dubai's crown prince, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid al-Maktoum, has warned that any change from abroad of the Iraqi government would lead to a civil war and to the partition of Iraq.

The UAE news agency said that Sheikh Muhammad expressed during his meeting on late Tuesday night with US Under Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Martin Indyk expressed his strong reservations concerning the debated proposals to change the government in Iraq.

The agency said Sheikh Muhammad stressed that any political change in Iraq imposed from abroad may lead to the partition and to a civil war whose consequences cannot be predicted.