UN General Assembly approves call for further cooperation with OIC
Regional-UN, Politics, 10/30/1998

The United Nations General Assembly yesterday authorized a meeting of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories in November and adopted a resolution, without a vote, to enhance cooperation with the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The resolution on cooperation with the OIC, proposed by Qatar, calls on the UN and affiliated organizations to increase their technical and other assistance to the OIC and its affiliated organizations. It also called on both organizations to continue cooperation in dealing with global problems.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan addressed the meetings of the OIC member states' foreign ministers in New York earlier this month, and regular consultations have taken place between the two organizations, including joint peacemaking efforts in Afghanistan.

The Qatari representative, Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser, called on the UN to give the OIC the same status granted to other groups, such as the European Union, including diplomatic immunity in the host country. Al-Nasser also stated that the OIC is committed to the UN's principles and objectives.

Morocco's Ahmed Snoussi praised the two organizations' joint efforts and called for their continuation, and said the OIC needs the means to achieve its mission, including facilities and privileges for its office in New York.

The OIC's permanent observer, Mokhtar Lamami, said the two organizations could cooperate in both peacemaking and areas of socioeconomic development.

The General Assembly also organized meetings in New York of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories on November 2 -5. The committee requested a meeting during the General Assembly's 53rd session.

The committee made a fact-finding trip to the Middle East during July, where they convened with high-ranking officials in Egypt, Jordan and Syria during their visit to discuss Israeli practices toward the Palestinian people, although Israel refuses to cooperate with the committee, established in 1968, or allow it access to the occupied territories, forcing it to depend on media reports and first-hand accounts in gathering information.

The committee's reports are submitted to the General Assembly.

Previous Stories:
  Message from Khatami to al-Assad on containing tensions with Turkey   (10/16/1998)
  Robin Cook Calls for rapprochement between the West and the Islamic World   (10/9/1998)
  Islamic countries need to benefit from globalization, increase inter-trade   (10/1/1998)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search