JEDDAH: President Barack Obama told the Organization of Islamic Conference that he has full confidence that the United States can work together with the world’s largest grouping of Muslims, the OIC said yesterday.
In a letter to OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Obama said he would work to improve relations with the group, the Jeddah-based organization said in a statement.
It did not release the text of the letter.
Obama also thanked the OIC, which represents 1.5 billion Muslims in 57 countries, for congratulating him on his inauguration on Jan. 20, the organization said.
In an open letter published in major US newspapers on Jan. 21, the OIC urged Obama to work for a “shared” peace in the world rather than one that is “imposed.” “We warmly welcome your expressed desire to give a major address in a Muslim nation soon after you assume the presidency and hope it will mark the beginning of a more fruitful and better-informed dialogue between the West and the Muslim world,” the OIC said in its letter to Obama.
“We firmly believe that America, with your guidance, can help foster that peace, though real peace can only be shared — never imposed. A nation can either be great or feared, but rarely both at the same time.”
