A small start for D-8 towards a better future

Foreign Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the D-8 should serve as a forum of like-minded members of the OIC to exchange views and to explore the potential, which is largely untapped, for greater cooperation among Muslim countries. It can also be a forum where members sit in conference to dis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBusiness times (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Main Author Jailani Harun in Istanbul
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Kuala Lumpur The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad 16.06.1997
Subjects
Economic development
Economic summit conferences
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Summary:Foreign Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the D-8 should serve as a forum of like-minded members of the OIC to exchange views and to explore the potential, which is largely untapped, for greater cooperation among Muslim countries. It can also be a forum where members sit in conference to discuss and seek solutions to problems and obstacles hindering expanding cooperation, particularly among D-8 members. Hence, it should not be seen as a forum to counter any other group of nations, be it the G- 7, the G-15 or even the OIC. Maybe they have forgotten that as the sole Islamic member to the European Union (EC), Turkey is not going to sacrifice such a status. [Necmettin Erbakan] is more than being wise by offering Turkish position as a gateway for other Muslim countries to the lucrative European market. As there are already assurances that the D-8 will not be politicised by any power, the West can expect a better trade flow between their countries and the Muslim world, and at the same time there will be just economic development.