SPECIAL PARLIAMENT SESSION ON GAZA ON MONDAY

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 8 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet Wednesday agreed that Parliament
holds a special session on the Gaza onslaught next Monday, said Foreign Minister
Dr Rais Yatim.

He said the special session would be held in the morning.

The government as well as opposition Members of Parliament had been reported
condemning the Israeli aggression and called for a ceasefire and an end to the
crisis which began on Dec 27.

The government had also called for an Emergency Special Session of the
United Nations General Assembly to address the issue.

Rais said Malaysia would proceed with its initiative to call for the meeting
if the United Nations Security Council failed to resolve the crisis within the
next 48 hours.

Rais was speaking to reporters after attending a delegation meeting between
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji
Otri at the Prime Minister's Office, here.

The foreign minister said the UN emergency special session could be convened
if the majority of the 192 member countries agreed to do so.

"It doesn't need two-thirds majority. The UN clause stated a majority only,"
he said.

Rais explained that the Security Council could not veto the emergency
special session because its council members could only veto decision made within
its framework only.

However, he cautioned that the United States might use its influence so that
the emergency special session could not take place.

Another obstacle, Rais said, was that any matter related to war must be
addressed by the Security Council first and could only be brought to the General
Assembly after the Council had exhausted all avenues.

Malaysia, he said, did not give up its hope for the emergency special
session to be convened.

"It is better than we just sit down and do nothing," he added.

On another matter, Rais said the Syrian Prime Minister, who is on a four-day
official visit to Malaysia beginning Tuesday, had decided to extend the visit
by another one and a half day to visit southern state of Melaka or probably
Iskandar, a mega infrastructure development project, in southern state of Johor.

-- BERNAMA