Kuwait City, Kuwait ? Arab leaders expressed growing alarm Tuesday that Iraq could fall into all-out civil war, but they offered mostly rhetorical backing for President Bush’s plan to try to stabilize the country with more troops and economic aid.

While representatives of eight Arab nations said they welcomed Bush’s initiative, their focus in talks here with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was on the rapidly worsening sectarian strife in Iraq, which they fear also could engulf them.

“Nine foreign ministers are meeting in Kuwait precisely to prevent Iraq from sliding into a civil war. And that speaks volumes,” said Kuwait’s foreign minister, Sheik Mohammed al-Sabah.

In a written statement, the group said it supported Bush’s speech last week on Iraq and the U.S. commitment to defend the security of the oil-rich Persian Gulf.

The United States also has been urging Arab nations to join it in taking a more robust stance to counter Iran, which has sought to spread its influence into Iraq and which Washington and others accuse of seeking a nuclear weapon.

But the communique issued after Rice met with her counterparts here didn’t mention Iran and instead called vaguely for countries to respect “the principle of noninterference” in other countries’ affairs. A senior Rice aide said that language was aimed at Tehran.

The document didn’t mention Iran’s nuclear program.