Aid not enough to win Muslim hearts<\/p>\n
Lawrence Bartlett, Agence France-Presse\/Putrajaya, Malaysia<\/p>\n
Washington has earned some credit among Muslims for its aid to
\nvictims of the Asian tsunamis but must change its foreign policy
\nto counter the perception that it is anti-Islam, the leader of
\nthe world's biggest Islamic group said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who heads the
\n57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), told AFP
\nin an exclusive interview that U.S. actions were not always
\nconsistent with its insistence that it does not target Muslims.<\/p>\n
\"If you are talking about relationships with the Muslim
\ncountries it is not just providing aid in the way they have
\nprovided it now -- which is very good, I'm not suggesting it is
\nnot good -- but there has to be more than that,\" Abdullah said.<\/p>\n
\"The whole foreign policy stance has to be corrected.\"<\/p>\n
President George W. Bush and incoming Secretary of State
\nCondoleezza Rice have made it clear they believe U.S. aid for
\nvictims of the Dec. 26 tsunamis which killed more than 280,000
\npeople -- most of them Muslims -- would ease the widespread
\ndislike of the U.S. in the Islamic world.<\/p>\n
\"I think in a way it will help,\" Abdullah said in his office
\nin this new administrative capital. \"But they have to do
\nsomething more on a permanent basis, not just on these particular
\noccasions.<\/p>\n
\"I think the whole stance of the policy of the U.S. towards
\nMuslims -- there is something that could be construed as negative
\nprofiling.<\/p>\n
\"President Bush says he is not anti-Islam or anti-Muslim. But
\nhis policy towards some countries, which are Muslim countries,
\nOIC countries, can be interpreted as an example of not being
\nconsistent with the policy of not being anti-Islam and not anti-
\nMuslim.\"<\/p>\n
Abdullah, whose country strongly opposed the U.S.-led invasion
\nof Iraq, criticized Washington for now threatening possible
\nmilitary action against Iran.<\/p>\n
Bush said last week he could not rule out resorting to force
\nunless Iran can be persuaded to abandon a nuclear energy program
\nwhich Washington believes is a cover for developing a bomb.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said \"statements of pre-emptive action, like Iran,
\nalso the issue of Syria,\" should be replaced by negotiations.<\/p>\n
\"I always believe it is better to talk. Talk with the idea of
\nsolving the problem rather than talk with threats -- that will
\nnot go down well.\"<\/p>\n
Iraq, Iran and Syria are all members of the OIC, of which
\nAbdullah is current chairman.<\/p>\n
On Sunday's elections in Iraq, Abdullah said: \"I am very
\nconcerned on what the outcome is going to be because there is
\nstill violence there.<\/p>\n
\"But I do hope that the election will be able to take place.
\nThat's very important, because it marks the beginning of a new
\nIraq.<\/p>\n
\"It is a very important landmark for Iraq and I think the
\nIraqis should seize the opportunity.\"<\/p>\n
He said he knew the Sunni Muslim minority, which was in power
\nunder former dictator Saddam Hussein, was unhappy with some
\naspects of the election, \"but a constitution has to be drafted so
\nall these issues can be taken up again\".<\/p>\n
Turning once more to the tsunami disaster, Abdullah rejected
\nas \"unfair\" allegations by some western critics that rich Islamic
\ncountries such as Saudi Arabia had not done enough to help the
\nvictims -- most of whom are Muslims living in the Indonesian
\nprovince of Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"As soon as this tsunami disaster struck several countries, I
\nhad evidence from United Nations sources that Islamic countries
\nhave been making their contributions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"They believe what they have done is enough, so I don't
\nquestion this.\"<\/p>",
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