MOSCOW, March 21 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday the conflict in Iraq could spill over into other regions, including ex-Soviet states, Interfax news agency said.
"The crisis has gone beyond the framework of a local conflict and is now a potential source of instability for other regions of the world, including the Commonwealth of Independent States," Putin said, referring to the grouping of 12 former Soviet republics.
Interfax said he was addressing a meeting of senior officials from ex-Soviet states.