Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia will start to withdraw in phases its peacekeeping troops from Mindanao, Philippines, next month, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Thursday.
Najib, who is also Defence Minister, said 21 peacekeepers would return initially.
"The Defence Forces chief will leave for the Philippines next month to convey to the Philippine government about the withdrawal. A decision has been made on our presence there... we cannot be there forever," he told reporters at the 11th Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference.
The Malaysian peacekeeping force has been in Mindanao since 2004 as part of the International Monitoring Team comprising 41 officers from the armed Forces and police. They were supported by 10 military officers from Brunei and five from Libya.
The team has since been reinforced with the inclusion of members from Canada and Japan.
Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team had threatened to pull out if there was no progress in the seven-year-old peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Asked whether Malaysia saw China as a military threat, Najib said the country never regarded China as a threat.
"Malaysia never regarded China as a military threat as both countries had good bilateral relations.
"Both countries have experienced many positive returns in past years. It is true China is a major player in the global arena, but it does not pose itself as a threat to Malaysia and other world nations," he said.
Najib said he strongly believed that Malaysia could engage more bilateral and multilateral ties in various areas with China in the future.
"World nations should omit negative perceptions that major powers are building up offensive capabilities," he added.
Source: www.bernama.com (25 April 2008)
