Muslim countries plan summit in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: Leaders from eight predominantly Muslim nations, including Iran and Indonesia, will meet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next week to discuss ways to boost trade.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will attend the July 8 meeting, according to Malaysia's Foreign Ministry.

Trade officials from the countries met on Saturday in a bid to ratify a 2005 trade agreement that includes tariff cuts.

Foreign ministers, including those from Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria and Turkey, will meet July 6, according to a statement from Malaysia's state-owned news agency Bernama, the official media for the event.

The group represents at least 900 million people, or 13 per cent of the world's population.