Arab states will deal with Iraq's Governing Council

CAIRO, Egypt -- Arab states will deal with the U.S.-appointed Governing Council in Iraq but not recognize it as a legitimate government, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said Monday.

Maher spoke at the end of a hastily convened meeting of foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

The meeting was called after Israeli warplanes raided Lebanon Sunday following a bombardment by the Syrian-sponsored Hezbollah group that killed an Israeli teenager and wounded five other civilians.

Israeli officials have warned Lebanon and Syria they will be held responsible for the actions of Hezbollah, which initiated the first exchange of artillery fire in eight months with a bombardment Friday near the confluence of the Syrian, Lebanese and Israeli borders.

Maher accused Israel on Monday of impeding the "road map" peace plan and described Israel's construction of a fence around the Palestinian territories as a violation of the peace process.

The foreign minister made clear Arabs would not be swayed by growing support for recognition of the Governing Council in Iraq. Since the Arab League refused to recognize the council early last week, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov have said the body should be recognized as a transitional government.

"We cannot recognize this council because it is illegitimate, but we are ready to deal with its members as we deal with the rest of the Iraqi political forces," Maher said.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia, seen as moderates in the Arab world, gave logistical support to the United States in the Iraq war.

Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel was the first in the Arab world; last year, the Saudis urged Israel to withdraw from all land captured in the 1967 war in exchange for full diplomatic relations with Arab states.

Syria takes a hard line on Israel and was a staunch opponent of the invasion of Iraq.