Muslim ministers meet in Pakistan on West Asia

ISLAMABAD, Feb 25 (Reuters) West Asia peace depends on a fair solution to the Palestinian problem, Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told seven Muslim foreign ministers today, and he urged a united stand against radicalism.

Foreign ministers of Pakistan, six other Muslim countries and the chief of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) met in the Pakistani capital to prepare for an Islamic summit aimed at ending turmoil in West Asia.

''Durable peace in the Middle East demands an honourable solution of Palestine based on justice, equity and realism in line with the wishes of the Palestinian people,'' Aziz told the ministers in opening remarks.

The idea for a summit of 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 in talks in several Muslim countries over the past few weeks.

Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt and Jordan, together with the secretary-general of the 57-member OIC, are attending the Islamabad talks.

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.

Aziz said the Palestinian unity government would help progress towards a sovereign and viable Palestinian state.

He also said the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme should be resolved peacefully and force should be avoided.

He also said the Muslim world needed to adopt a holistic approach to meet its problems and the external factors confronting it, and Islamic countries had to try to bridge the gap between Islam and the West.

''A joint strategy is needed to fight radicalism and extremism,'' Aziz said, according to a statement issued by his office.

Aziz also said the Iraqi people had to be ''enabled to decide their own future'' and collective efforts were needed to preserve the peace and sovereignty of Lebanon.

Analysts say Musharraf's move to open communication channels with Israel -- Pakistan held its first public talks with Israel in 2005 in Turkey, despite opposition from hardline Islamists -- had bolstered his international standing.

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

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

REUTERS SP BST1710