OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting begins in Istanbul
21 June 2025 18:15
ISTANBUL (ALETIHAD) The 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states began on Saturday in Istanbul.According to Türkiye's Anadolu Agency, around 40 officials at the level of prime minister and foreign minister are participating in the two-day session, alongside representatives from the organisation's institutions, observer states and other international organisations.In a speech during the opening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Israel, with unconditional backing from Western powers, continues to push the region into instability.He said Israel had turned Gaza into massive rubble before the eyes of the world, bombing healthcare facilities, schools, mosques and churches, and killing people waiting in aid lines just to obtain a sack of flour, a bowl of soup or a piece of stale bread.President Erdoğan stressed that a two-state solution is more urgent than ever under current conditions. He added, 'We must continue to encourage more countries to recognise the State of Palestine and maintain coordinated efforts to impose coercive measures against Israel based on international law and the UN Charter.'He urged unity and the setting aside of divisions in matters of shared concern, saying, 'If we do not take ownership of our causes with common resolve and thought, we will end up serving the interests of others.'Erdoğan also highlighted the timing of Israel's attacks on Iran, coinciding with intensified negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is chairing the meeting, said Israel is pushing the region to the brink of disaster through its assault on Iran. He added that under Türkiye's current presidency of the OIC, the country will continue to amplify the voice of the Islamic world, prioritise global justice and firmly oppose injustice.
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