OIC should not see India as an enemy: Mahathir

NEW DELHI, MAY 12. The Malaysian Prime Minister, Mr. Mahathir Mohammed had said the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) should not look upon India as an enemy. ``I should not look at them as if they are our enemy. We should think of them according to their policy and if they are friendly, we should also be friendly,'' the Malaysian Prime Minister, who is taking over as Chairman of the OIC in the next two years, said on the eve of Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to Kuala Lumpur.

He said the OIC should not have any problem with India even though ``there are some things''. ``But probably that happens against non-muslims in Muslim countries as well,'' He said in reply to a question on how should the OIC relate to a country which has 18 per cent Muslim population - second highest in the world.

In an interview with `world report' which is to be telecast tomorrow, the Malaysian Prime Minister expressed skepticism about Indian democracy saying that India would be too pre-occupied with politics in the next 25 years. He, however, said India had put its act together and was making tremendous progress. ``I think India and China are two giants. They just can't a afford fighting each other. You fight each other, you destroy everything around you.'' Condemning the Taliban's destruction of priceless heritage Mr. Mahathir Mohammed said ``Muslims should behave in a very rationale manner. They should not go around destroying other people's religious edifices.''

- UNI

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