The Hindu : Mahathir `saddened' by U.N. move

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 05, 2002

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International

Mahathir `saddened' by U.N. move

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE MAY 4. The Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, said he was `saddened' by the U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan's decision not to go ahead and probe the killings of Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp.

Dr. Mahathir, who travels to Washington to meet the U.S. President, George W. Bush, later this month, said: "I am saddened by the retreat of the U.N. declared by Kofi Annan.''

The outspoken Malaysian leader was quoted as telling reporters: "If one country like Israel can defy the whole world, what's the use of having the U.N.? Our stance in Malaysia is firstly there must be a UN team in Palestine.''

The Prime Minister, whose relationship with the U.S. has warmed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, urged `Muslim' countries to agree on a joint course of action in dealing with the West Asian conflict.

``As long as they (`Muslim' nations) are split, they will not be able to use whatever power they have to eradicate the arrogance of Israel,'' the Malaysian leader said.

Dr. Mahathir's visit to Washington, the first since 1994, will see a convergence of views on some issues like the need to combat terrorism, but the Malaysian leader is hardly likely to dilute his views on issues of concern like the Palestinian cause.

The Malaysian Defence Minister, Najib Tun Razak, who is in the U.S., is said to have provided hard information about the ongoing defence cooperation between America and Malaysia at a lecture in Washington.

Mr. Najib revealed that more than 75 U.S. ships had called at Malaysian ports in the last two years, U.S. Navy Seals conducted training in Malaysia twice a year and Malaysia provides one of the few bases outside of America for jungle warfare training.

The Malaysian Defence Minister said, according to a report in The Straits Times today, the country had also been protecting U.S. ships in the Strait of Malacca since September 11. (The Indian Navy, too, is performing similar duties for U.S. ships).

There is little doubt that Dr. Mahathir has consolidated his position in Malaysia after the events of September 11 winning widespread approval for the arrest of Islamist elements. Malaysia, which is a relatively prosperous Muslim-dominated nation, is being seen as a `model', moderate State in which Islam is the dominant religion.

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