OIC ends summit, slams Isreal

OIC ends summit, slams Isreal

Patrick Chalmers, Reuters, Putrajaya, Malaysia

Islamic leaders ended an annual summit on Friday without a
planned resolution on Iraq and were overshadowed by host Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad's controversial remarks about Jews.

While the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) tempered calls for a U.S. pull out from Iraq, it slammed
Israel and a congressional vote for trade sanctions on Syria.

OIC deliberations on Iraq were overtaken by events in New
York, where the United Nations unanimously adopted a resolution
aimed at getting troops and cash for Iraq, a diplomatic victory
for the United States's efforts to broaden backing for its
occupation.

Mahathir, who retires on Oct. 31 after 22 years in power, told
Muslim delegates to push for peace after decades of conflict with
Israel in a typically blunt speech that included jibes about the
influence of Jews over Western powers.

At the United Nations headquarters, a band of reluctant
Security Council members backed the text of the resolution at the
last moment, though France, Russia and Germany said it conceded
too little on their demands for a greater UN role in Iraq for
them to commit further troops or cash.

Muslim nations agonized over the past week over how to word a
resolution intended for inclusion in their OIC communique,
deciding in the end to drop it altogether at the request of a
delegation from Iraq's U.S.-picked Provisional Governing Council.

Delegates, who earlier called for an increased UN role and a
set timetable for U.S.-led forces to pull out of Iraq, settled
instead in their communique for a call "to accelerate the
restoration of the full sovereignty of Iraq".

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters it was
for the United States to pick up the pieces in Iraq.

"It's not our job to raise money. The main responsibility is
the responsibility of the occupying power," he said on the way
into the meeting.

Iyad Allawi, head of the U.S.-backed Governing Council, had
rejected the OIC push for a tighter timeframe, saying the UN text
was paramount to improving the security situation.

Four U.S. military police and two Iraqi policemen died in the
latest ambushes in Iraq, bringing the total to 101 Americans
killed in hostile action since Washington declared major combat
over on May 1.

An unaccounted number of Iraqis have also died.

Allawi criticized France, Germany and Russia for ignoring his
administration's views.

"As if we are pupils in a primary school, they want us to
report to the Security Council. Unfortunately, they have not
consulted with us," he said.

Pakistan, a Security Council member, was one of the Muslim
countries the United States hoped would send troops if a UN
mandate was obtained. President Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan
would only send troops if its parliament approved and the Iraqis
requested them, otherwise sentiment in his country was too
negative.

OIC leaders met with emotions running high over the occupation
of Iraq and the Israel-Palestinian conflict as well as Israel's
Oct. 5 attack on Syrian territory.

The summit denounced on Wednesday's U.S. Congress vote to
impose trade sanctions on Syria, saying Washington lawmakers
would only spur more Israeli violence.

"They confirm their absolute solidarity with Syria and their
countries' rejection of the Congress Accountability Act that
would encourage Israel to persist in its aggression and challenge
of the international legitimacy," said an OIC declaration, which
has no practical effect.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to impose sanctions on
Syria until the White House says it has stopped sponsoring
terrorism and halted programs for weapons of mass destruction.
The U.S. Senate will take up the measure.

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