OIC denounces Serbs aggression on Kosovo

The Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) expressed deep anger over the Serbian oppression and aggression against the ethnic Albanians in the Kosovo province.

Azeddine Laraki, secretary general of the organization which groups 56 nations extending from the far east to Latin America, said in a letter to the Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic "I express to you the feelings of anger and discontent of the 56 OIC member states towards the Serbian oppression against the ethnic Albanians."

Laraki, a former Moroccan prime minister, compared "the massive genocide against the Muslim Albanians in Kosovo" to "the notorious ethnic cleansing against Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina."

The OIC also expressed hope that Milosevic's government will cooperate with the world community's efforts. The letter points out that Kosovo's Albanians have found themselves compelled to defend their existence as a society that has its own culture, language and identity when the self-rule they used to enjoy was canceled in 1998.

Laraki further expressed hope that talks between the Serbs and Albanians would positively lead to securing rights and interests of the province residents and restoring law and order.