Islamic Summit opening
Regional, Politics, 10/17/2003

Some 35 heads of states and governments yesterday attended the opening of the 10th session of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) which began its deliberations in Purtajaya.

Chairman of the former Summit, Amir of Qatar, Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani opened the 10th session stressing the OIC support to the Palestinian people just struggle in order to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Sheikh Hamad called on the international community to practice pressure on Israel to stop its aggression on the Palestinian people and to withdraw from all the occupied Arab lands stressing the necessity to act in order to enable the Iraqi people to restore their unity and integrity.

Then, Malaysian Prime Minister and the current Chairman of the summit, Mahateer Muhammad underlined in his address the deteriorating situation in the Islamic world and the suffering of the Muslims in the light of the divisions and disputes that are plaguing the Islamic Nation.

Muhammad called on the Islamic Nation to solidify and to unite its stance in facing the aggressive campaign against Islam and Muslims under the title "the war against terrorism."

" It was felt that as representative of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the organization has not received the importance that it deserved in the international affairs" he said, calling on the Islamic countries to unify their military, economic and technological forces and to put the needed plans and strategies in facing the standing challenges.

In his speech in front of the Islamic Summit, Chairman of Jerusalem Committee, King Mohammed VI of Morocco criticized the Israeli aggression on Syria asserting commitment to the just and comprehensive peace based on the Israeli complete withdrawal from all the occupied Arab lands.

King Mohammed VI stressed that its impossible to achieve peace in the region without the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Moroccan King called to exert all efforts to enable the Iraqi people to restore their unity and sovereignty.

He called also on the Islamic states to unify their stance in facing the standing challenges.

For his part, Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa warned against the dangerous deterioration in the region due to the continued Israeli aggression and the American bias to Israel.

In his speech in the opening session on the 10th Islamic Summit, Moussa criticized the American full bias to Israel calling the Islamic countries to unify their stance in facing the dangerous challenges that threaten Islam and Muslims.

Regarding the situation in Iraq, Moussa called on the United Nations to bear responsibility to achieve security and stability in Iraq and to put a definite timetable to end the occupation of Iraq and to restore the Iraqi unity and integrity.

He holds the OIC and the Arab League responsible for supporting Iraqi people to restore their unity and sovereignty.

He called also on the OIC to support Syria's stance in facing the dangerous threats.

Moussa warned the Islamic world against the dangerous repercussions of the failure of solving their internal, political, social and cultural disputes.

UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan described the Israeli aggression on Syria as an extremist and unjustified act.

In a message directed to the Islamic summit, Annan criticized the Israeli practices against the Palestinian people calling on the international community to support the implementation of the Roadmap in order to save the region of the circle of violence.

Regarding the Iraqi situation, Annan stressed the necessity for achieving stability, security and democracy in Iraq.

Annan holds the international community, the Islamic world, and the neighboring states of Iraq responsible for extending aid to the Iraqi people to achieve their national unity and integrity.

Annan called all the governments to establish dialogue among civilizations based on deep understanding among the Islamic and the Western worlds.

On the behalf of the participating heads of states in the 10th summit of the OIC, Malaysian Prime Minister and Chairman of the current session, Mahateer Muhammad held a luncheon.

Previous Stories:
  International Criminal Court 'instrument of justice', Annan   (10/16/2003)
  It is high time we reviewed OIC structures, says King Mohammed   (10/16/2003)
  King Mohammed urges for strengthening Arab-African relations   (10/16/2003)
  Islamic foreign ministers make proposals to restructure OIC   (10/15/2003)
  Al-Shara's speech before OIC meeting   (10/14/2003)

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