War on Iraq, war against Muslims: Mahathir<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Delegates to a summit representing more than half the world
\nbacked strong calls for Iraq to disarm while opposing a U.S.-led
\nattack on Baghdad, and host nation Malaysia warned on Sunday that
\nan invasion of Iraq would be seen as "a war against Muslims."<\/p>\n
Preparations for the Non-Aligned Movement summit opening on
\nMonday have been dominated by the U.S. confrontations with Iraq
\nand North Korea -- two member countries alleged to have weapons
\nof mass destruction.<\/p>\n
Over the weekend, the grouping of 114 mostly developing
\nnations -- which includes many U.S. allies as well as its most
\nbitter foes -- drafted a compromise statement on Iraq that urged
\nBaghdad to "actively comply" with United Nation resolutions but
\nmade clear the movement's strong revulsion toward any U.S.-led
\nwar.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday the
\nworld was in a state of terror, allowing fear of Muslims to
\naffect international policy, and a war on Iraq would be seen as a
\nwar on Muslims.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said the West's "mild admonishment" of North Korea
\nover its weapons of mass destruction proves a looming U.S.-led
\nwar against Iraq is targeting Muslims.<\/p>\n
"The attack against Iraq will simply anger more Muslims who
\nsee this as being anti-Muslim rather than anti-terror," Mahathir,
\nchairman and host of the summit, told a business forum.<\/p>\n
Many of the nations from as far apart as Afghanistan and
\nZambia have seized on a deadline set for Iraq to destroy its
\nlonger-range missiles as a chance to avoid war.<\/p>\n
The United States and Britain are massing 150,000 troops on
\nIraq's border, threatening war unless President Saddam Hussein
\nsurrenders alleged stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
\nOpinion polls show many people believe Washington's motive is
\ncontrol of Iraq's vast oil fields.<\/p>\n
NAM delegates on Sunday also endorsed a separate statement
\ncondemning Israel for "systematic human rights violations and
\nreported war crimes" in Palestinian areas. Since the 1967 Middle
\nEast War, non-aligned nations have regularly condemned Israel's
\noccupation of Palestinian territory.<\/p>\n
Heads of state were arriving on Sunday and were to approve
\nseparate declarations during their two-day summit ending on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
The bloc represent the 55 percent of the world's population
\nand holds nearly two-thirds of the UN General Assembly seats. Six
\nof them -- Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Pakistan and Syria --
\nare members of the 15-seat Security Council, where the United
\nStates and Britain need a nine-vote majority to pass a resolution
\nauthorizing an attack on Iraq.<\/p>\n
Those six countries were undecided on Sunday about whether a
\nwar against Iraq was necessary and said they were awaiting the
\nnext report, due March 1, from UN inspectors trying to rid Iraq
\nof weapons of mass destruction.<\/p>\n
Mahathir also accused Israel of seizing upon fears of
\nterrorism following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as an excuse
\n"to launch terror attacks against the Palestinians."<\/p>\n
Palestinian delegates had said the draft declaration would
\ninclude a move to impose sanctions on Israel.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, summit delegates said preliminary agreement was
\nreached on a declaration to appeal to North Korea to rejoin a key
\nnuclear treaty, and urge Washington and Pyongyang to peacefully
\nresolve their dispute over the North Korea's alleged nuclear
\nweapons development.<\/p>",
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