OIC for rewording of Iraq draft, Annan skips

Islamic Foreign Ministers meeting in Malaysia sought the rewording of a summit resolution on Iraq on Tuesday to strengthen a call for a domi...

Islamic Foreign Ministers meeting in Malaysia sought the rewording of a summit resolution on Iraq on Tuesday to strengthen a call for a dominant role for the UN there.

Some ministers also pushed for a one-year time limit on the US-led occupation. ‘‘Some want the resolution to say the UN should play a pivotal role in Iraq,’’ Bashar Jaafari, a senior Syrian diplomat, said ahead of Thursday’s opening of the two-day Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit.

The Malaysian hosts were adamant that the UN should take charge, while welcoming signs that Washington will pass more authority to the Iraqi Provisional Governing Council in mid-December.

Story continues below this ad

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who had been due to attend, pulled out due to negotiations at the Security Council in New York over the latest US draft on Iraq.

The US revised its draft resolution on Monday to include a deadline of December 15 for the handover of power to the Iraqis, with the Provisional Governing Council picked by the US performing the role as interim administration. Some delegates welcomed that as a step forward.

Foreign Ministers also approved a suggestion by Pakistan and some other countries to revitalise the secretariat of the 57-member grouping in order to make it more effective in responding to new challanges faced by the Muslim world.

‘Double bonanza for poor, middle class’: PM’s swadeshi pitch ahead of new GST roll out

India3 hr ago

PM Modi announced the rollout of new GST rates, calling it a "GST bachat utsav" and promising cheaper prices for medicines, insurance, and daily essentials. He emphasized that these reforms would ease doing business, attract investment, and benefit the poor, middle class, MSMEs, farmers, women, traders, and youth. He urged citizens to promote swadeshi goods.

View all shorts

Live Blog