AT EIGHTH GENERAL MEETING OF UNITED NATIONS, ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC
CONFERENCE, SECRETARY-GENERAL OUTLINES COMMON GOALS
Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the General Meeting of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), delivered on his behalf in Vienna on 9 July by Antonio Maria Costa, Director-General, United Nations Office at Vienna:
It gives me great pleasure to send my greetings to all who have gathered for this annual general meeting of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.� I would like to express appreciation to Dr. Abdelouahed Belkeziz, Secretary-General of the OIC, for his leadership.� And I would like to pay tribute to Assistant Secretary-General Thierno Nabika Diallo, as well as the staff of the OIC secretariat, for their efforts to strengthen cooperation between our two organizations.
The United Nations and the OIC share a commitment to tolerance, equality, the peaceful resolution of conflict and the promotion of economic and social development, and we have worked closely together to foster these universal principles.� This is now the eighth general meeting of our secretariats and specialized agencies.� While much has been accomplished, there is ample room to do more, particularly in the 10 priority areas that have been identified:� trade; refugees; investment; environment; education; human resources; food security; science and technology; technical cooperation among Islamic countries; and the development of arts and crafts and promotion of heritage.
Your meeting will also review cooperation in the political realm, in particular the Middle East and Afghanistan.� I hope the OIC will continue doing its part in efforts to overcome the current deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in order to realize the vision, outlined in Security Council resolutions, of two States –- Israel and Palestine –- living side by side in peace, within secure and recognized borders.� In Afghanistan, the political support of OIC member States contributed to the successful conclusion of the Emergency Loya Jirga last month, an important step in the country’s moves towards peace and development.� OIC member States have also made significant pledges for rehabilitation and reconstruction, and I would like to express gratitude for this show of support at a critical moment in Afghanistan’s history.
This general meeting offers a timely opportunity to discuss these and other vital matters, to identify possible new areas of collaboration, and to ensure that existing cooperation is as effective as possible.� Thank you for your participation and for the preparatory work you have done for this session.� In that spirit of partnership, please accept my best wishes for a successful meeting.
