Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Iraq is planning to lobby Arab, Muslim and European nations to counter evil US attempts to win support for a military attack against Baghdad, a senior official said in remarks published on Thursday.

Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told the Arabic-language Asharq Al Awsat daily that Iraq was banking on Arabs and Muslims to stand up to the United States since his country was "born from the same Arab womb that bore us all".

"It is sending its envoys to certain Arab countries to push them into opposing Iraq. We too have our own diplomatic initiative on all fronts -- Arab, Muslim and European." Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri has said he will travel to Moscow soon to discuss the US threats.

In the interview, Ramadan urged Arab countries to maintain their stand against a military strike, blasting the nations that refused to condemn outright the proposed US action.

"There are Arab countries which think they will thrive by supporting the United States, but they will not do so because America considers them as agents. If it does not support its so-called allies, will it support its agents?" he asked.

Ramadan warned that a strike on Iraq would only be the beginning of a wide-scale US military campaign against the oil-rich region.

"If they get Iraq, God forbid, the next country in line would be Saudi Arabia or Egypt or Syria or Lebanon," he said. "Iraq is not the target, it is only the beginning of a US plan to gain hegemony over the region and control its resources."

Ramadan voiced satisfaction at the refusal of Saudi Arabia to take part in any new US-led aggression on Iraq.

"We appreciate the Kingdom's stance on this and believe it shows our brotherhood and our common destiny," he said.

Ramadan warned that Saudi Arabia would in turn become a US target if Washington goes ahead with threats.

"US diplomacy and policy is based on a Zionist plan and see the Kingdom as a source of danger, and it will be targeted in turn," the Vice President said.

He told the daily that US plans to attack Iraq were not linked to the disarmament issue but "to the program, objectives and line of conduct" followed by the President, notably support for the Palestinian cause and opposition to outside interference in Arab affairs.

"Baghdad is betting on the Arab people to help defend the country in case the United Stated attacks by hitting the interests of the enemies of the Arab nation," he added.