Situation in Syria, Palestine and Mali top OIC summit agenda
By Mourad Anouar
Morocco News Tribune
Oklahoma City, U.S.A— Leaders of 26 Muslim nations gathered at the 12th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Cairo on Wednesday with the chairmanship of Mohamed Mursi, Egyptian president, to discuss a number of hot issues concerning Muslim World.
The two-day summit is supposed to tackle the issues of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, violence in Syria and the situation in Mali.
On Palestine, OIC warned against the danger of Jewish settlements on the future of the Palestinian issue. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, OIC Secretary General, “pointed to the challenges facing the Muslim world, at the forefront of which the Palestinian issue, and in this regard called for adopting a clear strategy on defending Al-Quds,” , OIC website said.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while in meeting with Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of OIC in Cairo on Wednesday, said Tehran will always support the Palestinian nation’s rights at all international circles, and “this is the Islamic Republic’s strategy and is unchangeable,” Fars reported.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called for a swift resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in order to reach a two-state solution to the conflict, stressing that “the status quo is unsustainable, and unacceptable,” according to UN press release.
“We cannot afford a year without tangible results,” he added.
Concerning Syria, Muslim leaders called for a negotiated end to Syria’s civil war at the summit in Cairo on Wednesday.
Morocco has called the International Community to support the political transition process in Syria and to find a solution that will stop the bloodshed in the country without any further delays.
Morocco’s call came in a speech that was read out on behalf of the King of Morocco before the 12th summit. “This situation is calling out to the conscience of mankind. No hesitation or procrastination is acceptable any longer,” King Mohammed VI’s speech read.
“The international community is now duty-bound to support the political transition process, with the participation of the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people,” the speech said also.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian President, said in statement to the press that “the situation in Syria, as I repeat it is serious and is getting worse,” adding that “President Bouteflika’s major concern is that the Syrian people recover peace and stability,” Algerian news agency reported.
International peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said Wednesday in Algiers that the situation in this country (Syria) is “grave and becoming worse,” ensuring that he will pursue his mission despite of the difficulties he is encountering, the agency reported.
Mali crisis was also one of the summit agenda discussed issues. Ihsanoglu expressed the OIC’s solidarity with Mali, stressing “his support to its efforts in preserving its sovereignty on all its territory and reiterated his support to the African-led forces,” OIC website said.
Ihsanoglu clarified that he met with his Special Envoy on Mali, Djibril Bassolle, at his place of stay in Cairo yesterday, Sunday, and discussed with him holding an emergency meeting of the executive committee on the morning of the Summit, Wednesday, according to OIC website.