Kuala Lumpur: The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Kuala Lumpur next week
promises to end up as yet another anti-war platform on Iraq, with Malaysian Prime
Minister Mahatir Mohammed on February 17 saying that the 114-nation grouping will
issue a "strong anti-war message" in its declaration.
"It's about our anti-war stand. War is not the solution to the international
conflict," Mahathir told reporters while overseeing last-minute preparations for the
summit, to be attended among others by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
"We do not agree that the government of a country not suitable to big countries be
changed by military means through pre-emptive strike. If this thing is allowed to
happen may be other countries will also suffer the same fate in the future," said
Mahatir, who will take over the chair from South Africa.
"We have no military or financial strength but we can join the world movement to
oppose war on moral grounds," he said on Malaysian state television earlier on
February 17.
Commenting on reports that US and Britain were taking a softer stance and drafting a
fresh resolution to be presented to the UN seeking authorisation to use of force
against Baghdad following anti-war protests worldwide, he said, "But we want to see
how soft is a soft stance."
PTI
