Muslim lawmakers to discuss Iraqi, Palestinian conflicts

Kuala Lumpur, NU Online
Lawmakers representing more than 40 Muslimcountries will gather next week to discuss how to help resolvethe conflicts in Iraq and Palestinian territories, the meeting'shost Malaysia said Friday.

The restoration of Iraq's sovereignty and the problems posedby Israel in the Middle East will be key issues at the meeting ofthe Organization of the Islamic Conference's Parliamentary Union,organizers said in a statement issued through Malaysia's nationalnews agency, Bernama.<>

Parliamentarians at the Feb. 15-16 meeting are expected tocall for foreign forces to leave Iraq immediately, and forMuslims worldwide to help find a lasting solution to end thePalestinians' plight, the statement said.

The OIC's Parliamentary Union comprises 47 members, includingIndonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Organizersdid not say whether Iraqi or Palestinian representatives wouldattend the meeting, but they are members of the union.

Participants will also discuss measures to promote dialoguebetween Islamic and Western parliamentarians to foster betterunderstanding, as well as issues related to the global fight against terrorism, the statement said.

Malaysia is the current chair of the OIC, which has 57 membersand is the world's largest Muslim political bloc. Not all theOIC's members are part of its parliamentary union. (dar)