Muslim ministers to meet in Pakistan on West Asia

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23 (Reuters) Foreign ministers of seven Muslim countries and the chief of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference will meet in Pakistan this weekend to prepare for an Islamic summit aimed at ending turbulence in the West Asia.

The idea for a summit of the Islamic countries has been championed by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf who has long said the Palestinian conflict was the root of terrorism and extremism.

Musharraf, whose government does not recognise Israel but has held talks with the Jewish state, has expressed gloom about the problems besetting the region and has urged a new initiative.

''Whether it is Iraq or Lebanon, or Palestine or Afghanistan, we seem to be sliding downwards. We don't see any light. We are not moving towards improvement and solutions,'' Musharraf told a recent news conference.

''So we thought that we must take action to turn the tide ... so at least some light is visible at the end of the tunnel.'' Musharraf has in recent weeks visited Turkey and Muslim countries in Southeast Asia and the West Asia to promote his plan and on Sunday foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt and Jordan will met in Islamabad.

They will be joined by the secretary-general of the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

They are expected to set a date for a summit of Islamic countries that Saudi Arabia has agreed to host in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, where rival Palestinian factions met this month and agreed on a unity government, hoping to end bloodshed between their followers.

MUSLIM CONSENSUS? The Palestinian dispute is expected to be the focus of their deliberations, analysts said.

''It appears to be a new effort to formulate a common policy and see to what extent can these countries develop a consensus to resolve the Palestinian dispute,'' said Pakistani analyst and former army general Talat Masood.

Pakistan has long been a staunch supporter of a Palestinian homeland and does not recognise Israel but it held its first public talks with Israel in 2005 in Turkey.

Analysts say Musharraf's move to open communication channels with Israel, despite opposition from hardline Islamists, bolstered his international standing.

He could now use his influence with the West to push for a settlement of the Palestinian dispute.

''Musharraf has adopted a softer policy on Israel and that's why he could play some role and at some stage could even act as a mediator to resolve this,'' said Khalid Mehmood, a research fellow at the Islamabad-based Institute of Regional Studies.

But others were doubtful a summit of Muslim countries could achieve much more than drawing the world's attention to the problems.

''This effort on the part of President Musharraf, however well-meaning it may be, is unlikely to yield any big results,'' said former Pakistani foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmed Khan.

''The major powers like the United States and Russia have stakes in these regions and these issues cannot be resolved unless they move,'' he said.

REUTERS BDP PM1431