§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Malaysian high commissioner concerning the remarks of the Malaysian Prime Minister on 18 October; and if he will make a statement. [134508]
§ Mr. MullinI refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien) gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on 28 October 2003,Official Report, columns 186-87W.
Dr. Mahathir's comments about Jews in his speech to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference Summit on 16 October were totally unacceptable. My hon. Friend summoned the Malaysian high commissioner on 17 October, and made our position clear. I said it was particularly regrettable that some welcome messages in Dr. Mahathir's speech—such as negotiation as the right path to peace, and the futility of terrorism—had been overshadowed by these comments.