|
SECOND ISLAMIC
CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS
KARACHI, PAKISTAN
SHAWAL, 1390 H.- DECEMBER,1970
FINAL DECLARATION
1. In conformity with the resolution of the Jeddah Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers adopted on 25th March, 1970, the Second Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers met in Karachi from December 26 to 28, 1970. The following countries participated in the Conference: Afghanistan, Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Republic, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Republic and Yemen Arab Republic.
2. The Secretary General of the League of Arab States and a representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization attended the Conference as observers.
3. The Conference elected His Excellency Dr. Abdul Mutalib Malik, head of the Pakistan delegation, as Chairman and His Excellency Omar Arteh, Foreign Minister of Somalia, as Rapporteur.
4. The Conference expressed its profound sorrow for the demise of President Gamal Abdul Nasser, eminent leader of the Muslim, world and paid tribute to his role in world peace and justice.
5. The Conference also expressed its profound grief for the cyclonic disaster which had recently struck Pakistan and extended their deepest sympathy to the victims.
6. The delegates thanked the Government and people of Pakistan for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to them and for the excellent arrangements made for the Conference.
7. The Chairman informed the Conference that in pursuance of the decisions of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Jeddah, the Government of Malaysia had nominated as Secretary General Y.T.M. Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, former Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Conference confirmed the appointment of Y.T.M. Tunku Abdul Rahman as Secretary General. The Chairman recalled that the various positions which the delegations expressed in Jeddah regarding the establishment of the Secretariat were still maintained.
8. In his inaugural welcome address to the Conference, His Excellency General Mohammad Yahya Khan, President of Pakistan, particularly emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace but peace could endure only if it was founded on honour and justice. This objective of peace with honour could be achieved through a meaningful association among the Muslim peoples based on mutual cooperation and solidarity. He voiced the hope that, inspired by the common heritage of Islam, the Conference would identify steps towards the achievement of the common interest of the Muslim peoples.
9. In his address Tunku Abdul Rahman expressed appreciation for the confidence placed in him by the Conference and the hope that his office would provide an organ for coordinating the various activities for cooperation among Muslim countries.
The Conference then adopted the following agenda:
1. Latest developments in the Middle East and extending moral and material support by participating States to the people of Palestine in their fight for liberation.
2. Examination of the serious situation resulting from the indescribable act of aggression committed by Portugal against the Republic of Guinea.
3. Organization and financing of the Secretariat's activities.
4. Economic, cultural and social cooperation among participating States:
a) International Islamic Bank for Trade and Development.
b) International Islamic News Agency.
c) Creation and reinforcement of Islamic Cultural Centres across the world.
5. Observance of Al-Aqsa Day on the 21st of August, 1971.
6. Date and venue of the Third Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
MIDDLE EAST
10. The Conference:
Reaffirmed the resolutions of the Rabat Islamic Summit Conference and the Jeddah Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers which had drawn the attention to the dangerous situation in the Middle East and the fact that Israeli occupation of the territories of three Islamic countries constitutes a violation of the United Nations Charter, a defiance of the United Nations Resolutions and a serious and permanent threat to peace .
Considered it intolerable that Israel should continue its occupation of the territories of three Islamic Countries and persist in a policy of force. Reiterated the inadmissibility of the annexation by force of territories and demanded the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from all occupied Arab territories.
Declared that respect for the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine is indispensable for the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Demanded the restoration of the legitimate rights of the people of Palestine to its usurped homeland and reaffirmed its support of their struggle for national liberation.
Reaffirmed the determination of the participating States to:
a) Intensify their political, moral and material support to the Palestine people in their rightful struggle for liberation.
b) Facilitate the representation of the Palestine Liberation Movement in Islamic countries.
c) Denounce the Zionist movement as a racial, aggressive and expansionist movement conflicting with all the noble human ideals and constituting a permanent threat to world peace.
Demanded the implementation of resolutions which the United Nations had adopted on these questions.
11. The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers viewed with satisfaction the Cairo and Amman Agreements calling for fraternity and cooperation between the Government of Jordan and the Palestine Liberation Organization and for a complete joint coordination of their efforts against the Zionist enemy.
12. The Conference, therefore, appealed to the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to the Palestine Liberation Organization and to other parties concerned to adhere to these agreements in letter and spirit for the realization of complete Jordanian Palestinian national unity.
13. The Conference noted the support given by Christians to the defence of the sanctity of Holy Places, and to the legitimate rights of the People of Palestine. It welcomed cooperation between Muslims and Christians in order to safeguard and strengthen human spiritual values, and appreciated the outstanding role of Lebanon in promoting such cooperation internally as well as internationally.
AL-AQSA DAY:
14. The Conference recalled the declarations of the Rabat Summit and Jeddah Conference following the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which took place under the military occupation of the Holy City by Israel, and reaffirmed their decision to observe the 21st of August, 1971 as Al Aqsa Day.
GUINEA:
15. The Islamic Conference having noted with attention all the statements about the serious situation created by the indescribable act of aggression by Portugal against the Republic of Guinea:
Expressed its entire sympathy with the people of Guinea in their rightful struggle for the safeguard of their liberty and sovereignty.
Condemned Portugal very strongly for its aggression against Guinea and endorsed the UN Security Council Resolution 290 of December 5, 1970.
Expressed to the people of Guinea its Government and its leader, President Ahmed Seko Toure, the solidarity and support of the Muslim countries against colonialism and imperialism and their important contribution in the general struggle of Liberation in Africa.
Invited the Member States of the Islamic Conference to extend all possible material assistance to the Republic of Guinea.
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC BANK FOR TRADE DEVELOPMENT:
16. The Conference having examined the proposal submitted by Pakistan and the proposal made by the U.A.R. relating to undertaking a study of the idea of establishing either an Islamic Bank or an Islamic Federation of Banks, recommended the following:
1. The U.A.R. should be charged with the responsibility of making a comprehensive study of this project in the light of its own proposal, and in the light of the discussions that took place in the Conference. The U.A.R. shall submit the result of the study to the Secretary General in 6 months time from now.
2. The Secretary General shall forward this study to Member States with a view to obtaining their written comments on the paper before submitting it to the next Conference for discussion and decision.
3. Any Member State of the Conference may participate in the study, provided it sends to the Secretary General the names of specialists and experts nominated to participate in the work of this Commission. These names will be communicated within a month by the Secretary General to the U.A.R. so as to enable it to make its study as early as possible.
4. These studies, suggestions and recommendations shall not commit Member States before the decision of the Conference.
NEWS AGENCY:
17. The Conference:
AWARE of the urgent need to raise the voice of Islam, agreed in principle to the establishment of an International Islamic News Agency and requested the Member States to submit their proposals in this connection to the Secretariat.
ASKED the Secretary General to convene a meeting of Member States representatives and experts charged with the study of the practical arrangements for the establishment of such an Agency to submit their report to the Conference in its ordinary third session.
18. This meeting will be held in Teheran at the kind invitation of the Imperial Government of Iran.
ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTRES:
19. Recalling that the Rabat Summit Conference had also decided to promote Islamic culture and civilization in the world, the Conference welcomed the proposals relating to the creation and reinforcement of Islamic Cultural Centres.
20. The Conference asked the Secretary General to convene a meeting of representatives and experts of Member States to study the practical arrangements for the establishment of cultural centres and to submit their report to the Conference in its third ordinary session.
21. The meeting of representatives and experts will be held in Rabat at the kind invitation of the Government of Morocco.
STUDY OF DRAFT CHARTER
22. Having considered the matter of laying down its basic principles and objectives and recognizing the need of a detailed and formal statement of these principles for adoption as guidelines for its deliberations; the Conference requested the Secretary General to take the following measures:
1. To circulate within a month of this Conference a draft memorandum setting forth these objectives and the rules of procedure for the Conference, inviting the comments of the participating States, and ascertaining their respective wishes to take part in a meeting to study the document;
2. To make arrangements for holding the foresaid meeting at Jeddah, within four months of circulation of the Memorandum; and
3. To submit the recommendations of their meeting to the next Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers for their consideration.
ORGANIZATION AND FINANCING OF SECRETARIAT ACTIVITIES:
23. The Conference adopted a text concerning the Organization of its Secretariat and defining the financial means and the modalities of its activities.
THIRD CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS:
24. The Conference decided that its next meeting will be held in Kabul early in September, 1971.