President Mohammad Khatami and outgoing Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad on October 16, discussed the latest developments in the Muslim World. At the meeting which took place on the sidelines of the OIC Summit, President Khatami felicitated Malaysia on undertaking OIC leadership and said that Malaysia has special place in the Muslim World.

The President pointed to Iranian nuclear program to generate electricity as being a part of its national economic development plan and said that Iran will never give up its legitimate right to use nuclear technology for civilian application. He said that Iran will exercise full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to remove any suspicion about nuclear program. Prime Minister Mahathir said that the Islamic Nations should make efforts to achieve economic development and progress and get stronger in the international community.

Malaysia took over the OIC leadership for the next three years with a keynote speech from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad.

President Mohammad Khatami and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin exchanged views on the latest developments in the region and the world, Tehran-Moscow cooperation in the field of nuclear technology and the Caspian Sea and ways to achieve progress and development.

President Khatami said in the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the OIC Summit, Iran will not give up its legitimate right to use nuclear energy for civilian application in the face of the anti-Iran propaganda campaign. President Khatami said Iran will exercise full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to remove any skeptical views about Iranian nuclear program.

Putin took part in the OIC Summit as a guest. President Mohammad Khatami told his Philippine counterpart President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the followers of different religions should press ahead with peace and progress despite the crusade being launched by certain big powers. He said the Islamic Republic of Iran opposes any form of terrorism and especially those who are abusing the holy name of Islam for their misdeeds. Expressing concern over the current atmosphere of war and violence in the international community, Khatami said that all countries particularly the Muslim states which need progress and development should echo their call for peace.

Touching on the developments in the Philippines, he said that the Organization of the Islamic Conference calls for establishment of peace and friendship among different religions in that country and that Tehran welcomes President Arroyo’s presence in the Islamic summit as an observer. President Arroyo said that Manila supports interaction among different religions in the Philippines adding that her country advocates social balance between followers of different religions living in the community. She said that the Philippines has drawn up a national program to address the problems of different religious communities living in the country. The Philippine president also said that Manila supports President Khatami’s proposal to hold Dialogue of Civilizations and extended an invitation to the Iranian president to visit Manila.