Islamic leaders consider using their oil resources to avert war on Iraq

LEADERS of Islamic countries yesterday threw their support behind an initiative by France and Germany to avert war on Iraq and said they were considering using their oil to exert pressure on those favouring an attack.

The group also demanded Iraq comply with all United Nations resolutions to get rid of its weapons of mass destruction, including the latest deadline to start destroying its longer-range missiles by March 1.

“We would like to see that Iraq is not invaded by foreign forces,” Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told a news conference after a hastily called meeting of Islamic leaders who had gathered in Kuala Lumpur for a two-day summit earlier in the week of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

“Iraq should abide completely by the requests of inspectors,” he said.

Participants praised a resolution presented at the United Nations this week by France and Germany that suggests giving the UN weapons inspectors another four months to do their work in Iraq.

“We should make common cause with countries that are against war in Iraq, namely European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium and also Russia,” Mr Mahathir said.

Mr Mahathir acknowledged that some differences existed among the 49 countries attending the Islamic meeting, but all agreed on considering using their oil resources as a weapon to exert pressure on those in favour of war even though this would hurt many poorer countries, he said.

“There has been a suggestion that we look at using our oil wells in order to exert pressure,” Mr Mahathir said.

“How this can be done is something else, but there is a consensus as to the need for us to think about these things,” he said of a grouping that includes such oil producers as Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait and Qatar.

“Oil is a double-edged sword,” Mr Mahathir said. “If (the price of) oil goes up many of the countries of the South are going to suffer... This double-edged weapon may hurt us more than it may hurt the other parties.”