Islamic Nations Urge Central UN Role in Iraq and Possible Sanctions Against Israel

Producer: Bharati Jagdish
First broadcast: 22 April 04, Radio Singapore International

The chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference or OIC, today, urged the US to introduce a Security Council resolution granting the United Nations a central role in Iraq.

Opening an emergency meeting of the world's largest grouping of Islamic nations. Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned that the deteriorating situation in Iraq and the Palestinian territories threatens stability in the Middle East.

The meeting is also discussing the Israeli-Palestinian issue and a final statement could include a call for Islamic nations to sever diplomatic and economic ties with Israel.

The meeting has been called amid mounting anger and alienation in the Islamic world over U.S. policies in the volatile Middle East.

For more on this, Bharati Jagdish (BJ) spoke to political commentator, Professor Shamsul Amri Baharuddin (SA) from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

SA: "I think this meeting is designed to show the unity among the 57 Islamic nations in the OIC regarding their position in the case of Iraq. Within Iraq itself, there are divisions between different Muslim groups - the Shi'ites and the Sunnis - they seem to be on different planes, so at a more general level, the Muslim countries want to show the rest of the world and especially the United States that they are united in spite of the divisions within Iraq. That's one way of looking at it. Secondly and more importantly, as the position of the US becomes untenable and the looming US presidential elections complicate matters - these are factors that have shaped the Islamic countries' thinking. They feel that if they do not make a strong statement now on the Iraqi issue, then it will certainly become a chiefly American issue and there'll be no way of rescuing it. Iraq must also be an "Islamic country issue". "

BJ: Now, the Islamic countries are urging the United States to introduce a Security Council resolution granting the United Nations a central role in Iraq and some of these countries have even offered to send their own troops to Iraq if the UN returns. Do you expect such statements from a body such as the OIC to make any real difference?

SA: "Well, the US is in deep trouble in Iraq and it is now coming round to asking the United Nations to step in even though they proceeded to unilaterally attack Iraq amidst opposition from the UN. I would imagine now the Islamic countries are just exploiting and building upon the already pro-UN policy that we are seeing now. I don't think the OIC statement is really going to make any difference, but in many ways it sends out a message to the United Nations that the Muslim countries support its presence in Iraq."

BJ: The Israeli-Palestinian issue is also being discussed. What sort of political headway do you expect the OIC to make with regards to this issue?

SA: "Well, the OIC, politically-speaking, has not had any real earth-shattering impact on any of the issues relating to Iraq, Israel or any other issues regarding Islamic countries because the OIC is itself divided. But what is significant now is that they have begun to voice their views in a united fashion. I think this is important. The significance is not so much immediately on the global stage, but it is within the OIC context. That, in a way, would lead to other global entities recognizing that the OIC is now a group of Islamic countries that is not afraid to voice its views and at least attempt to make a change in a world where Islamic issues and political Islam are becoming major issues of discussion and contention as well. And they are also lending their voice to the fight against terrorism, considering that many Islamic countries are suffering from this scourge as well."

BJ: Now, officials have reportedly said that a final statement could include a call for all OIC members to impose sanctions on and sever diplomatic ties with Israel. What sort of impact will this really have, considering that, to begin with, very few of these countries have ties with Israel?

SA: "I think this is just symbolic because as you say very few of these countries have ties with Israel even now. Malaysia for example has already, even before this, cited Israel as country Malaysian diplomats should not visit. So I don't think there is any real significance here. It's just a symbolic statement."

BJ: But do you expect those Islamic countries that have political or Islamic ties with Israel now, to actually sever these ties?
SA: "I think purely economic ties because a lot of these ties are economic, less political. Israel is quite a powerful exporter, especially in technology and food products, so Egypt and Jordan, for example, have ties with Israel. But I think those who have actually benefited from trade with Israel will find it difficult to sever ties. After all, most of the Muslim countries are not rich anyway, except for the oil-rich region."

BJ: You mentioned earlier that there are divisions within the OIC. Even at their last meeting, the grouping's relevance was questioned. Considering all of this and the fact that the OIC has been talking about restructuring and making itself more relevant on the global stage, do you see the countries actually moving in that direction and perhaps working on those other initiatives like restructuring etcetera, so that the grouping's views on global matters affecting Muslim countries would be taken more seriously?

SA: "The OIC actually began as a political body to fight within the context of the Israeli issue after the Al-Aqsa Mosque incident which took place way back in the 60s. The problem is that economic aspects tend to be forgotten. This is where Malaysia has now come in to help to initiate progress along economic lines. Malaysia is now actively doing this with the help of countries like Sudan and so many other Islamic countries which now see Malaysia as a country that can help them out economically. So, once Islamic countries in the OIC are economically competent, I think they are going to be taken seriously."