ID :
20230
Fri, 09/19/2008 - 20:49
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/20230
The shortlink copeid
OIC Secretary General Lays Out New Vision for Organization
United Nations, Sept 19, SPA -- Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary
general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), laid out
a new vision for the organization in a speech Thursday, and discussed
its role in conflict resolution and combating Islamophobia.
The OIC, with 57 member states and five observer states, is the
second largest inter-governmental organization in the world. It
recently released a new charter that came out of discussions held in
Makkah in December 2005 as a response to “new realities, such as the
occupation of Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan and the painful
stalemate in Palestine as well as increasing tension with the western
world,” Ihsangolu said at New York’s Columbia University.
The new charter is a reflection of “moderation and modernization,”
Ihsangolu said. “It emphasizes inter-civilizational and interfaith
dialogues based on mutual respect and equality among interlocutors
and rejects and condemns all forms of fanaticism, extremism,
terrorism and bigotry.”
To this end, the OIC has established an independent human rights
commission to examine allegations of rights abuses in member states.
The charter also stresses socio-economic development with “a view to
empowering the Muslim world to achieve effective integration in the
global economy,” Ihsangolu said.
The secretary general also said he supports “the recent
intensification of regional peace and mediation initiatives,
including the Saudi, Turkish and Qatari efforts on different aspects
of conflicts in the Middle East and Horn of Africa.” He said the OIC
is seen is a “trusted and authoritative spokesperson for the Muslim
world” on major global political issues such as Palestine, Iraq,
Kashmir, Afghanistan, Somalia and Cyprus. Ihsangolu added that he
welcomed the recent decision by the White House to appoint a special
envoy to the OIC.
In talking about Islamophobia, Ihsangolu said it “is a new name to an
old phenomenon” and urged politicians in western countries to combat
it. “The tendency to divide the world into good and evil, civilized
and uncivilized, is inviting hostilities, disputes and instability,”
he added.
When asked about the OIC position on reform of the U.N. Security
Council, Ihsangolu said, “we want a seat on the Security Council. We
have 1.5 billion people and a monopoly on the problems in the world.”
general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), laid out
a new vision for the organization in a speech Thursday, and discussed
its role in conflict resolution and combating Islamophobia.
The OIC, with 57 member states and five observer states, is the
second largest inter-governmental organization in the world. It
recently released a new charter that came out of discussions held in
Makkah in December 2005 as a response to “new realities, such as the
occupation of Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan and the painful
stalemate in Palestine as well as increasing tension with the western
world,” Ihsangolu said at New York’s Columbia University.
The new charter is a reflection of “moderation and modernization,”
Ihsangolu said. “It emphasizes inter-civilizational and interfaith
dialogues based on mutual respect and equality among interlocutors
and rejects and condemns all forms of fanaticism, extremism,
terrorism and bigotry.”
To this end, the OIC has established an independent human rights
commission to examine allegations of rights abuses in member states.
The charter also stresses socio-economic development with “a view to
empowering the Muslim world to achieve effective integration in the
global economy,” Ihsangolu said.
The secretary general also said he supports “the recent
intensification of regional peace and mediation initiatives,
including the Saudi, Turkish and Qatari efforts on different aspects
of conflicts in the Middle East and Horn of Africa.” He said the OIC
is seen is a “trusted and authoritative spokesperson for the Muslim
world” on major global political issues such as Palestine, Iraq,
Kashmir, Afghanistan, Somalia and Cyprus. Ihsangolu added that he
welcomed the recent decision by the White House to appoint a special
envoy to the OIC.
In talking about Islamophobia, Ihsangolu said it “is a new name to an
old phenomenon” and urged politicians in western countries to combat
it. “The tendency to divide the world into good and evil, civilized
and uncivilized, is inviting hostilities, disputes and instability,”
he added.
When asked about the OIC position on reform of the U.N. Security
Council, Ihsangolu said, “we want a seat on the Security Council. We
have 1.5 billion people and a monopoly on the problems in the world.”
