ISTANBUL, Turkey - Fears that the ethnic tensions and violence in Iraq will spread beyond its borders brought foreign ministers from neighboring countries to Turkey for talks on Saturday.

Turkey's prime minister opened the conference in a former Ottoman palace saying Iraq's stability is "not solely the concern of the Iraqis but ours as well." Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia were represented, as was Egypt.

The foreign ministers were discussing the dearth of Sunni Muslims in Iraq's new government and Iran's growing influence in Iraq. Iraq's neighbors are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, except for Iran, where most people are Shiite Muslims, as in Iraq.

"Iraq cannot be a place where one entity prevails over the others, nor can it be a place divided up as desired," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"It is essential that the government is fully representative," he added.

Turkey, Iran and Syria, which have substantial Kurdish populations, are also deeply concerned by the growing power of Iraqi Kurds. They fear Kurds could break away to establish their own state, which could stoke similar aspirations among Kurds in the neighboring countries.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari dismissed those concerns.

"They shouldn't worry about it," he said. "They are not Shiites or Kurds, they are Iraqis. They are building a unified Iraq."

The foreign ministers are expected to approve a statement expressing support for the new government, stressing Iraq's territorial integrity and welcoming international support for the country's development.