Oleh/By : DATO SERI DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : DOHA, QATAR
Tarikh/Date : 05/03/2003
Tajuk/Title : THE EXTRAORDINARY ISLAMIC SUMMIT
SESSION OF THE ORGANISATION
OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC)
Versi : ENGLISH
Penyampai : PM
I am indeed pleased to be able to participate at this
Extraordinary Islamic Summit Session of the
Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).
2. On behalf of my delegation, may I extend my
heartfelt appreciation and thanks to His Highness
Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the
State of Qatar, the government and people of Qatar, for
the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to
us since our arrival in this beautiful city of Doha.
May I also congratulate His isHisHighness for convening
this Extraordinary Islamic Summit Session despite short
notice. I am confident that under Your Highness's
leadership, this Summit Session will further advance
the cause of our Organisation.
3. I would also like to thank HE Abdulouahed
Belkeziz, Secretary General of the OIC, for his effort
in facilitating the convening of this Summit Session.
4. Last week we met in Kuala Lumpur during the XIII
Summit Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and
also during the Informal Consultation of the OIC
Leaders. During those meetings, we discussed and
exchanged views on, among others, challenges in the
global environment against the backdrop of the
worsening situation in the Middle East. The NAM Summit
adopted two declarations on Iraq and Palestine
respectively. The Informal Consultation among OIC
Leaders also discussed these two same issues. The two
meetings In Kuala Lumpur sent a very clear message - we
are opposed to war against Iraq and we call for a
speedy solution to the Palestinian problem.
5. As we meet today, worldwide opposition against war in
Iraq continues to be strongly demonstrated.
Unfortunately, short of a miracle happening, an attack on
Iraq will soon take place with or without the sanction of
the United Nations (UN). We as OIC leaders have to help
make the miracle happen by joining forces with the rest of
the world against war, in particular the war against Iraq.
6. Malaysia remains committed to the fundamental
principle of non-use of force in solving conflicts
between nations. Malaysia is also opposed to the
possession or use of weapons of mass destructions by
everyone, without exception. And Malaysia is certainly
against unilateral action.
7. In keeping with these stand, Malaysia fully
supports the initiatives taken by several members of
the UNSC to extend the timeframe for UNMOVIC and IAEA
to complete their inspection in Iraq.
8. Malaysia is encouraged by the decision of Iraq to
fully cooperate with UNMOVIC and IAEA as well as to
comply with relevant UNSC resolutions. If UNMOVIC
finds no weapons of mass destruction, it must be
assumed that there is none. The UNSC must then refuse
to sanction war against Iraq. It is not acceptable
that if no weapons are found then it must be because
Iraq is hiding them and therefore the UNSC must
sanction war against it. Instead if UNMOVIC finds no
weapons then sanctions must be lifted. The people of
Iraq had already suffered greatly because of the
sanction.
9. We are also very concerned over the deteriorating
situation in Palestine. Israel is using the excuse of
the fight against terrorism after September 11 to
conduct terror attacks against the Palestinians. Since
the beginning of the Intifada in September 2000, more
than 2,800 Palestinians including children have been
killed and more than 43,000 were wounded. The
bulldozing of Palestinian houses in order to kill the
families of suspected terrorists is totally immoral.
The Jews who suffered so much during the Holocaust
should know the suffering that they are causing. World
Jewry must persuade Israelis to stop the killing of
Palestinians. Only then can we expect Palestinians not
to retaliate in kind.
10. We welcome the efforts of the "Quartet Mediators"
in drawing a Road Map for Israeli withdrawal from the
West Banks and the establishment of an independent
Palestinian State by the year 2005. It is frightening
that Israel should be allowed to ignore world opinion
while others may not.
11. In the search for a peaceful solution, the Muslim
countries have already made a great concession by
agreeing to recognise the state of Israel in return for
Israel's acceptance of an independent state of
Palestine. Since it was the western countries, which
created Israel, they must now exert pressure on Israel
to accept the Road Map and to stop the senseless
killings of innocent Palestinians. To do this Malaysia
maintains that a U.N. Protection Force is urgently
required.
12. The situations in Iraq and Palestine are linked.
The Middle East cannot be stabilised merely by
attending to the Iraqi problem alone. Indeed the war
against Iraq is likely to worsen the Middle Eastern
situation and the terrorist problems of the world.
Rendering Iraq totally defenceless and ensuring easy
victory will not make the war any more acceptable to
Muslims. Of course permitting Israel to carry out
terror attacks and remain in possession of nuclear
weapons and threatening to use them will only anger
Muslims more and increase recruits for terror attacks.
It is for this reason that Malaysia is convinced that
the causes of the situation in the Middle East must be
carefully analysed so as to formulate a better strategy
for a more acceptable result.
13. At this crucial and challenging time, Muslim
countries must close ranks and be willing to work
together to prevent war against Iraq and to help the
Palestinians. For too long, we have been marginalised
while important decisions affecting the Muslim Ummah
have been decided and imposed upon us from the outside.
The OIC's voice has not been shown due consideration
because we have failed to speak with one voice.
14. During the Informal Consultation in Kuala Lumpur,
we have tried to identify the weaknesses and the
strength of the OIC. What remains is for us to
formulate a strategy that takes into consideration
these factors. If we cannot agree on even this need to
think out our strategies then we must accept
marginalisation as our lot all the time.
15. With that, let me once again congratulate His
Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of
the State of Qatar and Chairman of the 9th Islamic
Summit, for organising this Extraordinary Summit.
Sumber : Pejabat Perdana Menteri
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