Defining terrorism defeats Islamic summit

The meeting was overshadowed by Middle East violence

By Jonathan Head BBC South-East Asia correspondent

A conference of Islamic countries has closed in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, without agreement on a definition of terrorism.

Foreign ministers and delegates from more than 50 Muslim states instead called for the United Nations to organise an international conference to come up with a universally accepted definition for terrorist acts.

The only issue on which all the delegates here clearly agreed, was their denunciation of Israel's operations against the Palestinians

In his closing remarks, Malaysian foreign minister described this conference as an attempt to correct the misconception that Islam is associated with terrorism.

No common ground

But the failure by delegates here to agree on any specific proposals or definitions leaves the Islamic world with little to challenge Washington's dominance of the global debate over terrorism.

The only issue on which all the delegates here clearly agreed, was their denunciation of Israel's operations against the Palestinians.

But that only underscores how little common ground there is between the United States and most Muslim states.

Attending the conference were several states accused by the US of harbouring or sponsoring terrorist groups.

There was little or no discussion of this charge, only repeated condemnation of Israeli actions, and of the Bush administration's reluctance to restrain them.