Many OIC members seek talks on Iraq after NAM summit<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Malaysia said many members of the Organization of Islamic
\nConference (OIC), including Iran, have called for an emergency
\nmeeting to discuss a possible U.S. military attack on Iraq, local
\nmedia reported on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is hosting the summit for the 115 developing
\ncountries in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) this month and Kuala
\nLumpur hoped to convene a one-day meeting on Iraq soon after the
\nsummit was over.<\/p>\n
"Many OIC countries have voiced the need for an emergency
\nmeeting in view of the crisis affecting the world and Malaysia
\nhas decided to take the initiative," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid
\nAlbar was quoted by the Sunday Times as saying on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is due to take over from OIC chair Qatar in October,
\nwhen representatives of 56 Muslim member nations gather in Kuala
\nLumpur. But Qatar has said it disagrees with Malaysia's proposal
\nto hold an urgent OIC meeting on Iraq in Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
"Our foreign minister has already contacted Qatar and Qatar
\ndid not agree to hold an emergency OIC meeting here," Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Mohamad was quoted by the official Bernama news
\nagency as saying.<\/p>\n
"But we will try to find ways (to hold a meeting), informally
\nmaybe," he said.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said Malaysia was disappointed at Qatar's position.<\/p>\n
"Well, we are very disappointed because we are here, so many
\nheads of government of OIC countries who are also NAM countries
\nare here. It is a good opportunity for us to meet and discuss
\ninformally to have a common stand on the Iraq issue," he said.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said Iranian President Mohammad Khatami had
\ntelephoned him, suggesting the meeting be held after NAM.<\/p>\n
"Even Mohammad Khatami suggested to me on the phone that we
\nshould have a special meeting session of the OIC after the NAM
\nsummit," he was quoted by the Sunday Times as saying.<\/p>\n
OIC members include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Afghanistan,
\nIndonesia, Egypt, Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan and the United Arab
\nEmirates.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, thousands of police, some armed with M-16 rifles,
\nhave been deployed in the Malaysian capital as part of a massive
\nsecurity plan ahead of the upcoming NAM summit, top police
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
Kuala Lumpur police chief Dell Akhbar Khan told AFP late
\nSaturday that the deployment of some 8,500 armed security
\npersonnel, including anti-terror units, was the largest ever
\nmobilization by the police for an international meeting.<\/p>\n
"It is normal that we consider the international environment
\nand not just internal factors when we plan for the security," he
\nsaid when asked whether police took into consideration the threat
\nof regional terror group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) and the al-Qaeda
\nterrorist network.<\/p>\n
"I think in the past, even with the JI threat, we have been
\nvery cautious. We must ensure the safety of our guests."<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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