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).