JEDDAH: Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu and Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu discussed various regional issues at their meeting held at the new OIC headquarters on Friday night. Both were accompanied by their respective high-level delegations.
After the nearly 90-minute meeting, Davutoglu told reporters that the discussions centered on the issue of bilateral relations between the OIC and Turkey, and ways to develop these relations for the benefit of the causes of the Muslim Ummah and its interests.
“Discussions also covered the forthcoming international Darfur donor‘s conference due to be held in Cairo under the joint chairmanship of Turkey and Egypt.
“Turkey and Egypt are cosponsors of the international donors conference to be held in Sharm El Sheikh in the first half of March,” the minister said, adding that the conference was aimed at mobilizing world donors for Sudan’s Darfur region, especially for financing projects with the involvement of Turkey, Egypt, the OIC and the Islamic Development Bank. Davutoglu lauded the efforts of Saudi Arabia in providing humanitarian support to help 50,000 people in Darfur.
The Kingdom has so far donated 30 ambulance vans to the three states of Darfur on the orders of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Saudi Red Crescent Authority President Prince Faisal bin Abdullah.
The Turkish minister also had a word of praise for the Kingdom in providing the OIC a new headquarter building on Madinah Road.
The situation in Somalia was also discussed, Davutoglu said. The possibility of launching projects in the fields of education and health will be discussed during the future negotiations.
“Also, the provision of assistance to alleviate poverty and reduce the impact of the humanitarian crisis in this country, and other development projects will be focused in the negotiations,” he added.
Discussions also covered the minaret ban in Switzerland and serious developments in Israeli-controlled Palestinian areas and ways to address them, as well as the Turkish state of North Cyprus. Davutoglu is visiting the Kingdom at the official invitation of Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal.
The two foreign ministers are due to meet in Riyadh on Saturday to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and other regional issues.
The Turkish minister said his country was willing to mediate between Syria and Israel. “It however depends on the two sides. If we do see a serious approach, we will do whatever is possible for relations between Syria and Israel,” Davutoglu said, adding that the goal of mediating talks is to facilitate peace.
As sovereign countries, Syria and Israel could decide their approach on their own. Turkey last year brokered four rounds of indirect negotiations between the two countries.
Ihsanoglu said the political and security situation in Afghanistan, and the role of Turkey and the Islamic world in bringing peace and stability to this country also figured in the discussion.
