Speaking at a press conference on the sideline of the ASEAN's (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Post Ministerial Conference opened here Wednesday, Syed urged the United States to use its influence to stop Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

He said he plans to speak with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about regional and international security issues during the ASEAN Regional Forum, set for Thursday and Friday.

Rice is expected to arrive at Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to attend the forum which will focus on the regional security and of course the Middle East situation.

"The U.S., with the greatest influence on the Israelis, must encourage them to ... stop all this bombing," Syed said, stressing that Israel's actions were threatening overall peace and stability in the Middle East.

"We are deeply shocked by what has happened," Syed Hamid said. "Unless the U.S. can take some measures in order to deal with the present crisis and not look to apportion blame," the situation will spiral out of control, he warned.

Syed's remarks came following an official statement condemning all acts of terror, violence and destruction in the Middle East, issued by ASEAN foreign ministers who are now in Kuala Lumpur to have their annual meetings of AMM (ASEAN Ministerial Meeting), PMC(Post Ministerial Conferences) and ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum).

The ASEAN foreign ministers called for an immediate cease-fire and urged the international community and the UN Security Council to get all parties in the conflict to adhere to the cease-fire under UN supervision with the participation of countries that are able to do so.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has proposed that the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) convenes a meeting on the Lebanon crisis at least at the ministerial level.

He told reporters Tuesday that efforts are being made to seek the endorsement of OIC leaders on the meeting to compel the United Nations to declare a cease-fire to stop further aggression by Israel.

"We are working to see the reaction of OIC leaders. We propose that if a summit cannot be convened, a ministerial meeting would suffice," he said.

Malaysia currently chairs the 56-member Organization of the Islamic Conference.