War on Iraq, war against Muslims: Mahathir

War on Iraq, war against Muslims: Mahathir

Agencies, Kuala Lumpur

Delegates to a summit representing more than half the world backed strong calls for Iraq to disarm while opposing a U.S.-led attack on Baghdad, and host nation Malaysia warned on Sunday that an invasion of Iraq would be seen as "a war against Muslims."

Preparations for the Non-Aligned Movement summit opening on Monday have been dominated by the U.S. confrontations with Iraq and North Korea -- two member countries alleged to have weapons of mass destruction.

Over the weekend, the grouping of 114 mostly developing nations -- which includes many U.S. allies as well as its most bitter foes -- drafted a compromise statement on Iraq that urged Baghdad to "actively comply" with United Nation resolutions but made clear the movement's strong revulsion toward any U.S.-led war.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday the world was in a state of terror, allowing fear of Muslims to affect international policy, and a war on Iraq would be seen as a war on Muslims.

Mahathir said the West's "mild admonishment" of North Korea over its weapons of mass destruction proves a looming U.S.-led war against Iraq is targeting Muslims.

"The attack against Iraq will simply anger more Muslims who see this as being anti-Muslim rather than anti-terror," Mahathir, chairman and host of the summit, told a business forum.

Many of the nations from as far apart as Afghanistan and Zambia have seized on a deadline set for Iraq to destroy its longer-range missiles as a chance to avoid war.

The United States and Britain are massing 150,000 troops on Iraq's border, threatening war unless President Saddam Hussein surrenders alleged stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. Opinion polls show many people believe Washington's motive is control of Iraq's vast oil fields.

NAM delegates on Sunday also endorsed a separate statement condemning Israel for "systematic human rights violations and reported war crimes" in Palestinian areas. Since the 1967 Middle East War, non-aligned nations have regularly condemned Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.

Heads of state were arriving on Sunday and were to approve separate declarations during their two-day summit ending on Tuesday.

The bloc represent the 55 percent of the world's population and holds nearly two-thirds of the UN General Assembly seats. Six of them -- Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Pakistan and Syria -- are members of the 15-seat Security Council, where the United States and Britain need a nine-vote majority to pass a resolution authorizing an attack on Iraq.

Those six countries were undecided on Sunday about whether a war against Iraq was necessary and said they were awaiting the next report, due March 1, from UN inspectors trying to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.

Mahathir also accused Israel of seizing upon fears of terrorism following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as an excuse "to launch terror attacks against the Palestinians."

Palestinian delegates had said the draft declaration would include a move to impose sanctions on Israel.

Meanwhile, summit delegates said preliminary agreement was reached on a declaration to appeal to North Korea to rejoin a key nuclear treaty, and urge Washington and Pyongyang to peacefully resolve their dispute over the North Korea's alleged nuclear weapons development.