Kazi Mahmood, IOL Southeast Asia Correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR (IslamOnline.net) - Malaysian and Indonesian officials said on Tuesday, April 8, that Muslim nations in Asia are against the U.S. running of Iraq in a post Saddam Hussein era, warning that the interests of the UN as well as the Islamic nations worldwide would not be respected if the U.S. controls Iraq.

With the war entering a decisive phase and the end of the Saddam regime in view, officials in the region are focusing on post-war Iraq and are lobbying through all the avenues they can to prevent the U.S. from taking control of who runs Iraq, IslamOnline was told.

The reconstruction of Iraq is also being considered and the Muslims in this region say they do not foresee the U.S. leading in Iraq if the super power does not want to offend the International community.

In Jakarta, Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs minister Hassan Wirayudha said his country does not want the United States to occupy Iraq and decide on its future alone, especially with regards of establishing a temporary administration in Baghdad, Antara news agency said on Tuesday.

"We want the participation of the United Nations," Hassan said after joining President Megawati Soekarnoputri in a meeting with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

The minister noted that if the U.S. controlled Iraq, three major problems would arise -- the establishment of a temporary administration, the reconstruction process, and the distribution of humanitarian aid in the war-torn country.

"We do not want the U.S. troops to behave as if they are occupying Iraq and decide on their own the future of the country," Hassan said.

He said Indonesia would urge the UN to be more involved in the establishment of a transitional administration in Baghdad.

UN Role Crucial

Indonesia is insisting that the UN should not be marginalized after the war was over in Iraq.

"We want to see the UN play its part in the establishment of the postwar government in Iraq, which should be a people-centered administration," Hassan said.

"We need to ensure that the UN will not be moved aside once again over the Iraq issue, as it should determine the legitimacy of the new government in the country."

Brunei, sources within the Indonesian government said, was supportive of the Indonesian and Malaysian concerns about the future of Iraq. Brunei did not voice official opposition to the war on Iraq but did not give any support to the U.S. altogether.

Hassan said that in his recent meeting with his Malaysian counterpart, Syed Hamid, the two Muslim-majority countries underlined the importance of the UN in determining the fate of Iraq after the war.

Malaysia’s Information Minister Khalil Yaakob said on Tuesday, the interests and views of the UN and of Islamic countries will not be ‘considered’ if the United States and its allies take charge of the reconstruction of post-war Iraq.

Malaysia felt that it was more appropriate for the UN to manage the reconstruction, he said according to Bernama.

"Malaysia's view is supported by many other countries. The Malaysian Foreign Affairs minister and Indonesian Foreign Affairs minister are unanimous on this," he said after launching the ministry's Iraqi People's Humanitarian Fund.

Malaysia did not say whether it will recognize an Iraqi government installed by the U.S. or whether the whole process will have to go through the UN before such a government is legitimized.

"I believe that the government will ask our foreign affairs minister to discuss the matter with other countries because we have a responsibility as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)," Khalil said.

Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand are said to be ready to accept a new government installed by the U.S. in Iraq after toppling Saddam Hussein.

The three governments have either given direct or tacit support to the U.S. for attacking Iraq under the pretext it had weapons of mass destruction and that the Iraqi regime was tied to the al-Qaeda, a terror organization.