Kuwait yesterday signalled Arab states' support for a US military build-up in Baghdad, saying they hoped President George W. Bush's plan would help stabilise Iraq.

"We expressed our desire to see the president's plan to reinforce American military presence in Baghdad as a vehicle... to stabilise Baghdad and prevent Iraq from sliding into this ugly war, this civil war," Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah told reporters.

Sheikh Mohammad was speaking at a joint news conference with visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is on a regional tour to drum up support for Mr Bush's decision to send more than 20,000 new troops to stabilise Iraq.

Ms Rice earlier held a meeting in Kuwait with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and the six Gulf Arab states - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.

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