Malaysia summit would splinter Islamic solidarity: OIC

Secretary General said that "any weakening of the OIC platform is a weakening of Islam and Muslims.

(Web Desk) – The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said that a meeting in Malaysia of some Muslim nations runs against the interests of the Islamic community.

Hundreds of delegates are attending the gathering in Malaysia including heads of state and religious leaders but the meeting has been snubbed by Saudi Arabia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad dismissed those concerns in a phone call Tuesday with Saudi Arabia s King Salman, insisting the summit was not intended to create a new bloc.

But in thinly veiled criticism of the four-day summit starting on Wednesday, OIC Secretary General Yousef al-Othaimeen said such gatherings would divide

Muslims. "It is not in the interest of an Islamic nation to hold summits and meetings outside the framework of the (OIC), especially at this time when the world is witnessing multiple conflicts," Othaimeen said, without directly naming Malaysia.

He added that "any weakening of the OIC platform is a weakening of Islam and Muslims." Malaysian officials say King Salman was invited to the Kuala Lumpur meeting but was not attending.