The world is going through the grim prospect of a nuclear conflict because the Ukrainian battle drags on, a former Asian chief has warned.
“I don’t suppose you may make Russia give up,” stated former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad concerning the ongoing Ukraine conflict on Friday – the second day of the Way forward for Asia convention hosted by the Nikkei information group in Tokyo.
“They may struggle to the top, and in desperation they could resort to the usage of nuclear weapons,” stated the previous statesman who will probably be 98 in July, including that not solely Ukraine and Russia, however “the entire world will endure.”
Mahathir served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and once more from 2018 to 2020.
“Nuclear conflict is the worst form of conflict due to the extent of destruction it causes,” he stated, reflecting on the top of World Warfare II when two atomic bombs had been dropped on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
A summit of Group of Seven (G7) of the world’s most developed nations was held in Hiroshima final week.
“It appears that evidently G7 international locations went to Hiroshima making an attempt to influence the International South that they need to help the West’s efforts within the Ukraine conflict,” Mahathir stated.
The International South is a time period usually used for much less developed international locations in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, versus extra affluent nations within the International North together with North America, Europe, and Australia, in addition to a number of wealthy Asian international locations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore.
“We should always not become involved in wars,” the previous chief stated earlier than criticizing what he known as “the mindset of some international locations.”
“International North thinks that conflict is an answer to conflicts between nations,” Mahathir stated.
“Russia and the West had been companions within the conflict towards Germany,” he stated, “however instantly after the conflict the West determined that their new enemy is Russia in order that they arrange NATO.”
‘World authorities’
The rivalry between the world’s two superpowers China and the U.S. as soon as once more was highlighted on the Way forward for Asia occasion, in its 28th yr this yr.
Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated on Thursday that his nation “welcomes the G7’s announcement that they’re ready to construct a steady and constructive relationship with China.”
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong went additional including: “Any try both to comprise China’s rise or to restrict America’s presence within the area may have few takers. No person needs to see a brand new chilly conflict.”
For his half, Mahathir Mohamad urged Asian international locations that they “mustn’t take sides to help both the U.S. or China.”
“We should always help the world that features the U.S., China and the remainder.”
“We should always free ourselves from the influences by the West each within the financial and political fields,” stated the previous chief, recognized for his anti-Western rhetoric.
In his opinion, the United Nations as a company must be restructured to be able to lead world efforts in coping with widespread world issues equivalent to local weather change, pandemics and penalties of wars.
“We should always consider a typical strategy to cope with world issues, by way of a form of world authorities,” he stated.
Way forward for Asia, held by Japan’s Nikkei yearly since 1995, is “a world gathering the place political, financial, and educational leaders from the Asia-Pacific area supply their opinions frankly and freely on regional points and the position of Asia on this planet.”
This yr’s theme is ‘Leveraging Asia’s energy to confront world challenges.’
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech Thursday saying Tokyo is “targeted on co-creating the longer term” with its Asian companions.
Edited by Mike Firn.
