Iraq crisis: PM to write to UN Security Council members
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is the new Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) chairperson, said today he would write to the members of the United Nations Security Council to ask them to avoid a war on Iraq.
"I will certainly write, even in my own personal capacity as the prime minister. I have been writing to a lot of people to try to influence them.
"There is no harm in writing as chairman of NAM to the Security Council and its members," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report.
The UN Security Council's permanent members are France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and China while the current non-permanent members are Germany, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain, Syria, Angola, Bulgaria, Cameroon and Chile.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is the new Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) chairperson, said today he would write to the members of the United Nations Security Council to ask them to avoid a war on Iraq.
"I will certainly write, even in my own personal capacity as the prime minister. I have been writing to a lot of people to try to influence them.
"There is no harm in writing as chairman of NAM to the Security Council and its members," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report.
The UN Security Council's permanent members are France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and China while the current non-permanent members are Germany, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain, Syria, Angola, Bulgaria, Cameroon and Chile.
The peaceful way
Mahathir assumed the chairmanship of the 116-member NAM from South African President Thabo Mbeki at the movement's 13th summit in Kuala Lumpur, which ended yesterday.
The premier was speaking at a media conference after an informal meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference here.
He said the OIC members "by and large agreed that we should try to influence as many people as possible (to stop the looming war)".
The US is pushing the Security Council to endorse a military strike on Iraq, claiming that its president Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction.
However, this has met with strong protest from several countries, including Malaysia, who want a peaceful solution to the crisis.
OIC relevant
In an unrelated development, Mahathir dispelled the rumour that the OIC summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur in October would be scrapped.
"Not true," he said when a reporter asked for his comment regarding the rumour at the same press conference.
He also said that the 57- member organisation was still relevant.
"I think OIC is still (relevant); despite its many weaknesses has some degree of influence.
"So, we will have to work on how to strengthen the OIC," stressed the premier, who will be attending an OIC emergency meeting in Qatar next week
Also present at the press conference Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Foreign Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar.
