Shafaq News / The Arab League called, on Monday, on the Iraqi parties to give priority to national interests.

Jamal Rushdi, the spokesman for the Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said in a statement that the latter, "is following with more concern the successive and dangerous developments on the Iraqi arena, and that he calls on all Iraqi parties to give priority to the national interest over any other considerations to bypass the current situation, which poses a threat to the country's stability."

The statement added that the Secretary-General warns against the situation in Iraq sliding into more violence, chaos and bloodshed, stressing the "necessity of self-restraint and directing the protesters of various groups to stay away from all armed manifestations and avoid bloodshed."

"The Arab League is following all the measures taken by the Iraqi government in order to maintain civil peace, security and stability in the country," he concluded.