Malaysia Thursday criticized US suggestions that it might move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, saying this would obstruct the search for Middle East peace.
"This will not help in the peace talks," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told a press conference.
He said Malaysia and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) hoped the US would not "complicate" the peace process by making such statements.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday the United States would move its embassy by the time the next president takes office on January 20th.
But President Bill Clinton said only that "in light of what has happened (at the Camp David summit), I've taken that decision under review.
"I'll make a decision sometime between now and the end of the year," Clinton added.
Syed Hamid said Malaysia and the OIC support peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel since "we are keen to see the birth of a Palestine state and peace in the region.
"There is already a resolution by the OIC to recognize Palestine as a state and its capital in East Jerusalem," the foreign minister said.
The foreign minister said Israel had been trying to secure friendly ties with many Islamic countries.
"I think they (Israel) have to show that they honor UN resolutions and demonstrate their sincerity in respect of seeing the birth of a Palestine state with East Jerusalem as its capital," he said.
Syed Hamid said he hoped both sides would meet again, adding: "Palestine has been quite reasonable. They are just asking for the implementation of UN resolutions." – KUALA LAMPUR (AFP)
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