Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 29/10/2007
The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has said that the political, humanitarian and security dimensions of the situation in Darfur have remained a source of concern for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which has been expressed in the resolutions adopted by the Organization at its summit and ministerial meetings. He noted that the OIC had been working with regional and international organizations concerned in order to reduce the plights of the people of Darfur, just as it has supported negotiations, which he described as the only option for ending the crisis in the region. These were contained in the Secretary General’s statement at the opening session of the new rounds of talks on Darfur, held at Sirte in Libya on 27 October 2007. The situation in Darfur, the Secretary General said, has been the focus of his contacts with the Government of Sudan, the United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League. He assured that the OIC would participate effectively in the conference on the humanitarian situation in Darfur, due to be organized in Khartoum by the Arab League at the end of this month. He commended the decision of the Government of Sudan to observe a ceasefire in Darfur and called on all parties to join it. He also enjoined the parties participating in the Sirte negotiations to work hard and arrive at a peaceful resolution, just as he called on parties who are not part of the negotiation to seize this historic opportunity and join the train of peace. The Secretary General also called on the international community to abide by its avowed position to sanction all parties that fail to choose the option of a peaceful resolution of the Darfur crisis.
