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Fri 12 Dec 2006Annan says Iraq conflict increases odds of Middle East warThe worsening conflict in Iraq is increasing the odds of a regional war in the Middle East, outgoing UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said.It is increasingly clear that soaring violence in Iraq affects not only that country but also threatens to "aggravate a range of underlying tensions in neighboring countries," Mr Annan, who leaves office on December 31st, said in his final report to the Security Council on the UN role in Iraq.