28/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - In an interview published on Wednesday in the New Statesman, the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi said that he was extremely worried by the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and that, "To keep the alliance created after September 11 alive, is more and more difficult". The President of the Commission recognised that possible US intervention in Iraq could mean the conflict spreading to other countries. He stated that, the first thing they needed was a "clear picture of the goal" and that they didn't have any information on Iraq. He pointed out that a further escalation of the violence would have terrible consequences everywhere, especially related to petrol, given the proximity of the area to Europe. Asked about the Downing Street Summit last year where only some EU Member States attended, Mr Prodi explained that he hadn't approved and that it wasn't conducive to setting out joint policy.