Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and heads of state from Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Turkey and Malaysia agreed during closed doors meetings to boost economic and political cooperation, alleviate poverty and restructure debt. The Developing Eight, or D-8, summit also brought together government ministers from Egypt and Bangladesh.
The D-8 member countries, who comprise 14 percent of the world's population, together have a gross domestic product of U.S.$1.22 trillion and trade among them grew 127 percent in the last five years.
Although Iran's nuclear crisis was not officially on the agenda, Ahmadinejad sought support on the meeting's sidelines.
D-8 summit delegates released a statement after the meeting saying they supported the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes -- giving Iran's hardline leader a much-needed boost.
Ahmadinejad thanked them "for committing themselves to defend the peaceful use and the development of nuclear energy," and assured them that he was willing to hold talks on his nuclear ambitions, but not with "countries that hang planes with bombs over our heads.
"If they want to threaten the use of force we will not go into dialogue with them," he said. He insists his nuclear program is aimed only at generating energy, but Washington says the real purpose is to build weapons.
"Our people need to do more to help one another," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in an opening statement, adding that among other things "proud" Islamic nations should work together to develop renewable and alternative energy sources. "Our potentials are enormous," he said. "Our resources are vast. Great opportunities lie await."
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar held a hastily arranged meeting with the Iranian leader, telling reporters afterward that he supported a diplomatic solution of the nuclear standoff. "Dialogue is the best way," he told reporters. "We should not create another crisis."
[Associated Press]
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