Islamic ministers fear strikes will spread
Tuesday October 9, 1:43 AM
By Rawhi Abeidoh
DOHA (Reuters) - Islamic nations meeting in Qatar on Wednesday will voice concern that U.S.-led military strikes against Afghanistan could extend to other Muslim countries, delegates have said.
But delegates at the meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said the group representing the world's 1.2 billion Muslims was unlikely to condemn the U.S.-led military offensive on Afghanistan's ruling Taliban.
Delegates said the meeting was expected to discuss sending a team of senior Muslim officials to Washington to dissuade the U.S. administration from extending its military campaign.
"We urge that there will not be hastiness in the handling of this problem in a way that might harm Arabs and Muslims," said Algeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem.
Asked if he was concerned other Muslim states could become targets, Belkhadem said: "Yes, we fear that there could be (such a) deterioration."
"Islam is not synonymous with terrorism, and if a (terror) act is perpetrated by some Muslims it is not linked to Islam. Is it within our right to say that what is being perpetrated in Britain and Ireland is linked to Christians?" he said.
Belkhadem, whose remarks echoed views of other delegates, was speaking ahead of an unofficial meeting for Arab foreign ministers, which started Tuesday evening.
Delegates said the 56-member OIC was not concerned about the fate of the Taliban, whose extremist ideology has won it little sympathy among Islamic governments.
U.S. President George W. Bush has repeatedly warned that his campaign is not only directed at Afghanistan, sparking fears that arch foes such as Iraq and Sudan could be hit.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri predicted his country could be next.
"We think that the United States may use this opportunity to...take vengeance against the Iraqi people because Iraq is not ready to surrender its territory to become a colony for the United States, Britain and Israel," he told reporters.
DEFINE TERRORISM
The group will also seek consensus on the meaning of terrorism, ensuring any definition does not link it to Islam or groups waging what Muslims see as legitimate resistance against occupation.
Analysts and officials predicted the final communique would voice solidarity for the impoverished Afghan people, which the ministers hoped would appease their own populations.
The United States and Britain have launched strikes against Afghanistan to flush out Osama bin Laden, the main suspect in the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
Ordinary Muslims and Arabs have slammed the assault, but their governments have remained largely silent after years of criticising the Taliban for hosting militants. Only Syria, Iraq and Iran have publicly criticised the strikes.
"Most Arab and Muslim nations silently approve of the U.S. strikes but they cannot confront their people with this support without risking their legitimacy," said Hussein Amin, a Middle East analyst based in Cairo.
"On the one hand, they see the Taliban as an embarrassment to the faith and they also do not want to jeopardise U.S. aid or support. But on the other hand, they have to deal with rising anti-U.S. sentiment," he added.
Another key issue at the meeting will be renewed support for the Palestinian uprising against Israel. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat arrived in Doha earlier on Tuesday. |
