As it prepares to host a meeting of Iraqi religious and political leaders, Saudi Arabia has spoken out against what it indicates as plans to divide Iraq into autonomous regions, roughly divided along ethnic and sectarian lines, local daily Arab News reports.
The Iraqi parliament last week passed a federalism law which would allow for the creation of a Shiite region in the south, with similar autonomy to that of the Kurdish north.
Iraqi Sunnis oppose the move saying it would create sectarian mini-states.
"The Kingdom will stand with all patriotic forces that work for Iraq’s unity,” said the Cabinet in a statement issued after the weekly meeting chaired by King Abdullah on Monday night.
The Saudi statement comes ahead of a meeting of Iraqi religious leaders arranged by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Mecca on 19-20 October.
The event is bringing together and Shiite scholars to adopt a reconciliation document calling for ending the bloodshed in Iraq.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is expected to attend.
Preparatory meetings to formulate the Mecca Charter were held earlier this month in Jeddah, chaired by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the OIC.
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