United Nations, Sept 28, SPA -- Islam is not an impediment to modernity and democracy, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri Haji Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told the United Nations General Assembly today. "There is an urgent need to stop the tarnishing of the Muslim world by unfair stereotypes," said Badawi. "We must cease associating Islam with violence, poverty, and indignity. In reality, these troubles have nothing to do with Islam." Badawi stated that the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), of which he was the chairman of its summit conference this past year, would be supportive of a dialogue "to create greater understanding between peoples and civilizations and which would lead to real action and effect changes at the societal level." The prime minister also called on the United Nations to "reaffirm" its role of managing critical issues affecting international peace and security and take necessary steps to ensure that the world body is never sidelined again, as he contended it was during the invasion of Iraq. --MORE1016 Local Time 0716 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/206230