Putrajaya (Malaysia): The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) on October 11 called for the eviction of foreign forces from Iraq and blamed Israel for the worsening situation in Palestine.

"The United Nations should take over the administration of Iraqi affairs in accordance with a clear and short timetable," Secretary General of the organisation Abdelouahed Belkeziz said in his opening speech to the OIC's 10th Summit, and its first full summit since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US.

Belkeziz said the US-led forces should leave Iraq and the UN should administer Iraqi affairs as prelude to the restoration of Iraq's independence, and to the rebuilding of what has been destroyed over the past 20 years.

"As I speak we are still under the strain of extremely difficult challenges and unprecedented threats to our countries' sovereignty, security and courses," the OIC Secretary-General, who steps down in 2004, said.

He said the Islamic world has been "in the face of a storm" in the three years since the last Summit of the 57-member organisation held in 2000 and urged "a clear Islamic commitment to address the situation with a view to salvaging Iraq and helping its people."

Belkeziz called on member countries to confront the dangers to the Islamic Ummah in Palestine, saying "the situation continues to deteriorate in the face of Israeli government's obduracy to fulfil the obligations demanded of it by the roadmap."

"It continues to be entrenched in its illegal practices of punishing the Palestinian people and of confiscating their property, attempting to coerce them through means abhorrent to international law and international human rights law," he said.

Earlier, chairman of the senior officials meeting, Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak of Malaysia, which takes over the chair of the 57-member organisation, said the OIC should be more action-oriented, dedicated to meeting the demands of its members and commanding the respect of the international community.

Meanwhile, both Iraq and Afghanistan sought support from the world's Islamic nations. "We don't like to have any peacekeeping troops from neighbouring countries because it might cause problems inside Iraq," Riyadh al-Fadhli, head of the Iraq's delegation of senior officials told reporters.

"We expect a very positive attitude towards Iraq, that the Islamic nations will support Iraq to pass over this difficult situation," he said.

PTI