Muslims demand fast Iraq transfer

Alawi objects to deadlines, saying Iraqis are not ready

Leaders of Islamic nations have called for a speedy return of power to Iraqis.

But at the end of two days of talks in Malaysia, the 57 leaders of the Organisation of Islamic Conference failed to set a timetable for this.

The final communique was toned down at the request of the head of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council.

Iyad Alawi said Iraqis were not ready to assume power - US troops should stay and other countries should not try to impose deadlines.

The earlier draft approved by foreign ministers had called for coalition troops to withdraw as soon as possible - and for the UN to take a leading role in Iraq.

Potential disaster

The summit was the largest meeting of Muslim leaders for three years.

Its communique stressed the right of the Iraqi people to determine their own political future and called for a central role for the United Nations in Iraq's post-war recovery.

It was the OIC's first meeting in three years

The summit underlined "the need to accelerate the restoration of the full sovereignty of Iraq".

Leaders welcomed the appointment of the IGC, but its current president opposed calls for the withdrawal of foreign troops.

"We don't have an army now, we don't have a police force, so withdrawal of forces means disaster for Iraq," Mr Alawi said.

"To put a timeframe for the withdrawal of forces, there should be consultation with the Iraqis themselves," he said.

"We definitely need our sovereignty as soon as possible but we don't want people to force on us schedules and timetables."

On Thursday, a new UN resolution accepted America's lead role but called for Iraqi sovereignty to be restored as soon as possible.

We definitely need our sovereignty as soon as possible but we don't want people to force on us schedules and timetables Iyad Alawi President of Iraqi Governing Council

But even that does not appear to have cleared the way for certain Muslim countries to share some of the military burden with Washington, the BBC's Jonathan Kent reports from the Malaysian administrative capital of Putrajaya where the summit was held.

The President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, said the UN declaration alone would not persuade his people to support the sending of troops - they would want to know that ordinary Iraqis would welcome them.

In addition, the summit condemned US moves to impose sanctions against Syria, saying this would encourage what it called Israeli aggression.

And President Musharraf called for progress towards peace negotiations with India over the disputed territory of Kashmir.