Veep: Moeslems must agree on one criterion to determine Islamic calendar

"We have to study and agree on one criteria, which would cause us to unite. So long as there are still three criteria, even in a century we will never be united," he said when opening an international symposium on efforts to unify an international Islamic calendar.

He said so far there had often been differences with regard to the day of the Idul Fitri in Indonesia. The differences on Idul Fitri day came to prominence once a year while differences on other holidays were not remarkable, although they existed.

"Differences on the day of Muharam often occurred but were not very remarkable. It was not the case with the Idul Fitri. Differences over the day immediately came to surface," he said.

He said the issue was actually an international problem and therefore it could not be discussed in only one or two meetings.