Alatas off to Turkey for Islamic states' meeting

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas left for Turkey yesterday to attend a one-day meeting of eight developing Islamic countries aimed at boosting economic cooperation.

A foreign ministry official said yesterday that the one-day meeting, scheduled to be held in Istanbul today, will attempt to formulate a policy approach which will function as a basis for economic cooperation among developing countries, particularly among Islamic states.

Ministerial level delegations from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey are expected to attend.

While Indonesia itself is not an Islamic state, its predominantly Moslem population makes it a country with the largest number of Moslems in the world.

Indonesia has also been very active in advocating stronger South-South cooperation among developing countries through the Non-Aligned Movement.

Last month it also chaired a ministerial meeting of the 54- member state Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Jakarta.

The selection criteria for those invited to today's meeting in Istanbul remains ambiguous, with Turkey as host having given out the invitations.

It is also unclear whether the eight-nation meeting will eventually evolve into a more formalized structure or forum.

Officials here pointed out that should the eight member meeting evolve into a development consultations forum, it would emulate the already established Group of 15 (G-15) but with Islamic undertones.

Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria are already members of the G-15 which convenes a summit every year.

The one-day meeting is also expected to deliberate on the possibility of a summit of the eight countries.

Sources here say a proposal has been presented on the possibility of holding a summit sometime within the next six months.

Alatas is due back here Monday. (mds)