Alatas off to Turkey for Islamic states' meeting

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)