If the current situation of Iraq allows us to think Iraq will become for Iran what Lebanon has been for Syria for 30 years? Meaning Iran will be the major power ruling Iraq. And will Saudi Arabia accept this, Prince Saud said ' Iraq is not a small country. It's a historic country. It's a country that has been there for millennia, not centuries. It is a country of culture. It is a country of history. I doubt that Iraq will be a (inaudible) to any country, great or small. We hope that the new emergent Iraq will have peaceful and good relations with all its neighbors including Iran. But such relations cannot be achieved by trying to intimidate or trying to gain unreasonable advantage of the country during the time of its weakness. I think it would be a wiser policy for all its neighbors whether it would be Iran, Saudi Arabia or any other neighbor, that in this period of instability in Iraq, that they should show their support for Iraq by non interference, by doing only things that help Iraq unite, and that help Iraq assure its independence and territorial integrity. Any other policy by any of its neighbors is going to backfire at the country that initiates it. So, yes, I am worried if something happened in Iraq, God forbid, that its unity will not be maintained. But I am not worried that surrounding countries can make Iraq into anything but the great country that that is, and turn it into a passive state for any other country. Last question. On the Palestinian issue and conditions set by Chirac for Hamas , Prince Saud said ' we are going to meet them (Hamas leaders) here probably in the next few days. As to conditions, we put no conditions on them. We hope that as a government, they will represent the interests of the Palestinian people. We are waiting for them to show as to what kind of leadership, they are going to provide to the Palestinian movement. We are not prejudging or putting conditions on them.'--SPA 15 37 Local Time 12 37 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/337350