6/4/06 AUSTIN (Texas) (The Star)  -  Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has told US President George W. Bush his concerns over attempts by certain US groups to discredit palm oil.

The Prime Minister said these groups opposed the use of palm oil in the production of biofuel and had launched a smear campaign against palm oil.

Abdullah brought up this issue when he received a call from Bush to welcome him to his home state on Thursday.  

The Prime Minister is in the Texas state capital for the World Congress on Information Technology 2006.

The two leaders also discussed Iran and Palestine.  

Regarding Iran, they agreed to give priority to resolving the nuclear issue through negotiation.

Abdullah told Bush he believed Iran was using nuclear power for peaceful means and Malaysia had no objection to that.

“However, Malaysia totally disagrees if nuclear power is used to produce bombs or weapons,” said Abdullah.  

On Palestine, he told Bush that it was important for Palestine and Israel to meet to resolve their conflicts.

He said isolating the new Palestinian government would not end the crisis in the Middle East.