Iraq will attend the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Kuala Lumpur this month, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said today.

"Iraq has informed us that they will send a representative, and we will welcome their representative as a representative of the Iraqi people," Syed Hamid said.

"I have been informed by their foreign minister that their president at the time of the OIC summit will attend the summit."

The summit of the 57-nation organisation is to be held from Oct 16-18 in Malaysia's new government capital of Putrajaya, south of Kuala Lumpur.

"Iraq has made the decision and we have discussed it with the OIC member countries. All of them indicate they want Iraq to attend this summit," he said.

Syed Hamid last month said Iraq's US-backed council was unlikely to attend, despite its acceptance by the Arab League, because the country was still under occupation.

The Malaysian government fiercely opposed the US-led war on Iraq and has called for a greater United Nations role in rebuilding the country. - AFP