KUWAIT CITY (AFP) -Saudi King Abdullah ruled out in comments published in Kuwait the possibility of a sectarian war in the region between Sunnis and Shiites, Islam’s two main sects.

“The Arab region will not witness wars between Muslims for any reason, whether sectarian or non-sectarian. No sect will dominate the other. Contrary to what some analyses say, this is totally ruled out,” King Abdullah said Saturday.

In an interview with the daily Al-Siyassah, the Saudi monarch also welcomed the decision by rival Palestinian leaders to form a national unity government.

“Forming a Palestinian national unity government is the way to achieve peace in the Middle East, the path which we have all chosen and for which the kingdom has presented a comprehensive plan,” he said.

Saudi Arabia presented a peace plan which was adopted by an Arab summit in Beirut in 2002 and which calls for Arab recognition of Israel in exchange for its withdrawal from Arab lands seized in the 1967 war.

Palestinian factions have agreed to form a national unity government to replace the Hamas-led government which came under international pressure for failing to recognise Israel.