NAJIB: PROPOSED OIC ECONOMIC SUMMIT CAN BE A PLATFORM FOR COMMON STANDS, NEW INITIATIVES

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Najib Tun Razak said the
Organisation Of Islamic Conference (OIC) Economic Summit proposed by him last
night could be made a platform for achieving common stands and identifying new
economic initiatives towards expanding investments and trade in the Islamic
world.

The Prime Minister said it was important to adopt common stands on issues
involving the economic interest of the Muslim community and countries.

Presently they do not have such stands on many important economic issues, he
said.

"Because Islamic countries do not have common stands..especially in the
issue of reforming the financial system ...we have yet to have a common position
among the Islamic countries," he told reporters here today when asked on the
summit he proposed Wednesday at the World Islamic Economic Forum.

Najib had earlier Thursday officiated the ground breaking ceremony for
Utusan
Melayu (M) Bhd's new headquarters building at Jalan Chan Sow Lin.

Najib, who is also the patron of the WIEF foundation, had suggested that the
Islamic countries consider jointly organising the OIC Economic Summit with the
help of the OIC.

"This way, we would be able to focus on pressing economic issues apart from
speeding up decisions and actions for the Islamic world. This specialised summit
to discuss these issues would provide a breath of fresh air and would be
meaningful to OIC and help it overcome any cynical views towards it."

He also said that the summit should not be too formal as having a summit of
30 to 40 heads of countries would be difficult to manage.

"We are looking at the format first, and wondering if we could make the WIEF
as a summit...but it should not be too formal. Maybe we could start with a small
group, but what is most important is that such a meeting delivers results,"
Najib added.

--BERNAMA