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Islamic Summit Opens in Kuala Lumpur

VOA News

   Saudi Arabia is one of a handful of Muslim nations not in attendance at
   a four-day conference in Kuala Lumpur aimed at addressing some of the
   Islamic world's thorniest issues.

   The conference, dubbed the Kuala Lumpur Summit, was organized by
   Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. It is expected to discuss
   such issues as the plight of the Muslim Uighurs in China's remote
   Xinjiang province, where millions are being held in what critics are
   calling internment camps.

   The Saudi kingdom says it is boycotting the summit because it is being
   held outside the banner of the 57-member Organization of Islamic
   Cooperation based in Jeddah. The OIC issued a statement Wednesday
   saying such meetings not only weaken the bloc, it also weakens Islam.

   Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was scheduled to attend the forum,
   but reportedly pulled out under pressure from Riyadh.

   Iran, Turkey and Qatar - all rivals of Saudi Arabia - are in
   attendance.

   Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for greater economic
   cooperation within the Islamic community to fight what he called "the
   domination of the United States dollar and the American financial
   regime." Iran's economy has been battered since Washington re-imposed
   crippling economic sanctions after it withdrew from an international
   agreement aimed at curbing Islamabad's nuclear program.