950827

Malaysia plans Islamic

moot on Bosnia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia, dissatisfied with United Nations efforts to keep peace in Bosnia, is planning a meeting of leaders from Islamic nations to discuss alternatives, officials said on Sunday.

The conference, to be held in September, will cover plans for peace initiatives, strategies for persuading the United Nations to lift the arms embargo on Bosnia-Herzegovina, and ways to collect money and other assistance to help those fighting against Serbs in the Balkans, they said.

The government officials said the Islamic Nations want the United Nations to stay in Bosnia-Herzegovina and to take firm action to stop the so-called ethnic cleansing.

The meeting also plans to discuss what the Islamic nations, including those with troops in the Balkans, could do if the United Nations forces are withdrawn.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, has said Malaysia will go on a worldwide campaign to lift the arms embargo. He has also said Malaysia will consider ignoring the arms embargo.

Defence Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters the conference was planned when a team of officials led by the Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry Ahmad Kamil Jaafar and armed forces chief Ismail Omar visited several Organization of Islamic Conference member countries, including Turkey, Morocco and Iran, earlier this month.

He said the dates for the conference had not yet been decided, but that foreign ministers and armed forces chiefs of at least 10 nations will attend.

Earlier this month Indonesian President Suharto was also reported to have proposed a meeting of the 112-nation Non-Aligned Movement in Jakarta to discuss new peace initiatives. Suharto is Chairman of the Movement.-AFP