TEHRAN, 31 May 2003 — Foreign ministers from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday ended three days of talks in the Iranian capital with a call to back Palestinian resistance and Iraqi sovereignty, but nevertheless failed to hide divisions over the key issues.
The joint declaration issued by ministers and delegates from the 57-member pan-Islamic body declared “solidarity with the resistance of the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese people against occupation” and called for the “speedy restoration of full Iraqi sovereignty”.
While denouncing “blind violence and terrorism”, the group also stated, in a dig at Washington, that “unilateralism and intimidation undermines the cause for freedom and democracy,” and “rejected the resort to force and unilateral action which undermines freedom and sovereignty of peoples and nations.”
But even while blasting “the continued occupation of the Palestinian and other Arab territories by Israel and its policy and practice of state terrorism against the Palestinian people”, the joint declaration made no reference to how to address the Middle East crisis.
Notably, it made no reference to the internationally drafted road map for Israeli-Palestinian peace, reflecting a huge split within the pan-Islamic body over whether to back the plan.
On Iraq, the declaration offered nothing in the way of concrete proposals, while the rejection also referred to no specific countries when mentioning its opposition to threats or unilateralism.
OIC members Syria and Iran have been the subject of intense United States pressure in recent weeks, fueling fears Washington could be intent on expanding its war on terror.
The group statement did include what appeared to be an implicit acknowledgement that the OIC — founded in 1969 and aiming to enable Muslim states to speak with one voice — was facing a crisis.
The statement stressed the “increasing relevance of the OIC in the new international environment and the need for the OIC to review and rationalize its agenda and operationally its resolutions.”
On this, the delegates agreed to “establish an open-ended meeting of senior officials in mid-2003 for this purpose.”
On the road map, OIC Secretary General Abdelouahed Belkeziz said it was “imperative for us to work to ensure wide international acceptance for this plan” — a call that failed to find its way into the final statement.
