JEDDAH, 15 March 2006 — Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ejazul Haq had meetings with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Muslim World League (MWL) on matters related to the publication of blasphemous cartoons on Monday.

With his meeting with OIC Secretary-General professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, he briefed him about the outcome of the visit of the Pakistani delegation to the European Union (EU) to Brussels during the first week of March.

“The delegation conveyed the sentiments of the Muslim world on the caricatures’ publication to the Speaker’s Parliament, foreign minister, external affairs commissioner and others,” Haq said, adding that the Pakistani delegation being the first from the Muslim world was well received with a realization that there should be more interaction between the two sides.

“They were all impressed on the gravity of the issue that might lead to a clash of civilizations if not properly handled, as the minorities both in the East and West felt insecure in such a situation,” Haq added. He said that during the meeting with the Muslim ambassadors and the European Center for Asia Studies, it was proposed that the OIC should open an office in Brussels and also project the true spirit of Islam in the West.

The OIC secretary general remarked that the organization was pursuing the issue from day one including at various meetings and forums. He wrote his first letter on Oct. 15 and followed it up till a statement was issued but it was not satisfactory.

“The freedom of information is not the issue. The issue is the values of one-fifth of humanity that should be given due regard,” Ihsanoglu was reported to have said. The OIC official said Muslims should join hands to force the EU to do something for the solution of the issue and avoid its recurrence, “as the West does not seem sincere on the subject.”

Commenting on the human rights resolution, the secretary-general said they should not be allowed to take advantage of such a document to further their cause for they were not serious and sincere to solve the issue. “They plead for individuals rather than groups and are not giving universality to the values of freedom,” he added. He said he would welcome a ministerial meeting if a concrete proposal was received from any member country.

“However, let’s wait for the outcome of the executive body meeting being held today (Wednesday),” the OIC official added.

At a meeting with MWL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah Al-Turkey at its office in Makkah, the Pakistani minister apprised him of the outcome of his visit to the EU in Brussels on the cartoon issue.

Haq said the response of the French, German and Norwegian governments was “abrupt and positive so much so that Norway did send a delegation of three priests and two Muslim scholars to Pakistan to appease the sentiments of Muslims.”

The ambassadors of the OIC countries in Brussels were also invited to a meeting and the matter was discussed with them for finding a solution.