ISLAMABAD HOSTS ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 002348 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017 TAGS: PGOV PK SUBJECT: ISLAMABAD HOSTS ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE MINISTERIAL ISLAMABAD 00002348 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) On 15-17 May, the 34th Islamic Conference of Ministers convened in Islamabad. Ministers discussed the need for stability in Iraq and Somalia; assistance for Sudan and Afghanistan; concern over Iran; and independence for Kosovo. Other highlights were a brainstorming session on the causes of and potential remedies for "Islamophobia" and several discussions on how to increase the organization's capacity for promoting science, education, and health throughout the world. President Musharraf proposed a Muslim peacekeeping force for Iraq, but the Iraqi Foreign Minister rejected the proposal. End Summary. -------------- Pakistan Hosts Successful Conference -------------- ¶2. (U) On 15-17 May, Islamabad hosted the 34th annual session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers. The agenda for the conference was wide-ranging: eighty-two agenda items covered political affairs; Muslim communities and minorities; legal issues; economics; science and technology; and cultural and social topics. Using his position as host of the conference, President Musharraf emphasized the need to address internal religious upheavals and socio-economic disparities in the Muslim world. He also stressed the need to resolve the Israel-Palestine dispute, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kashmir. Musharraf told the Conference that the OIC should revamp itself to prevent the "downward slide" of the Islamic world, since disparities with the Western world were increasing, not decreasing. ¶3. (C) Musharraf used his opening speech to propose that Muslim countries establish a peacekeeping force that could deploy to Iraq to replace the current U.S.-led coalition. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari later told reporters that the idea had been raised (and rejected) before and that his government wanted Iraqi troops to stabilize the situation, not foreign peacekeepers. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs OIC Director Aizaz Chaudhry later told PolOff that the media had blown Zebari's rejection out of proportion. Musharraf was merely calling for Muslim nations to be ready if asked to fill in. Musharraf understood that a peacekeeping force would only deploy if Iraq requested one. ¶4. (U) The Draft Final Communique and the Islamabad Declaration can be found at Pakistan's Foreign Ministry Website: www.mofa.gov.pk/Pages/ICFM Link.htm. -------------- Iraq: OIC To Set Up Coordination Office -------------- ¶5. (U) The Conference strongly condemned terrorist acts in Iraq and stressed the importance of international support for security and stability there. The Conference emphasized the need to form a Contact Group in Iraq and is planning to open an OIC Coordination Office in Baghdad. -------------- Somalia and Sudan Assistance ISLAMABAD 00002348 002.2 OF 003 -------------- ¶6. (U) The Conference called on member states to contribute to the National Reconciliation Congress scheduled for mid-June 2007 in Somalia. The Conference also decided to establish an OIC Liaison Office in Somalia. ¶7. (U) Conference members agreed to constitute a ministerial committee to follow up on member states' financial contributions to develop Sudan's southern and war-torn areas. The Conference also urged member states to provide urgent assistance to Sudan to help it address the humanitarian situation in Darfur. -------------- To the International Community: Please Honor Pledges to Afghanistan -------------- ¶8. (U) Citing previous donors' conferences in Tokyo (January 2002),Berlin (March 2004),and London (January/February 2006),the Conference appealed to the international community to honor its financial commitments to Afghanistan and welcomed Afghanistan's offer to host a Spring 2008 OIC conference on fighting international terrorism. -------------- Iran -------------- ¶9. (U) Quoting language used in previous OIC communiques, the 2007 statement notes that the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency enshrine the right of nations to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. The document calls for the peaceful resolution of the current controversy over Iran's nuclear capabilities. The document claims growing pressure on Iran could negatively impact regional peace and security. -------------- Strategy to Counter Islamophobia -------------- ¶10. (U) The brainstorming session on how to counter discrimination and intolerance against Muslims was a first for the OIC. The Conference urged the Observatory of the OIC General Secretariat to establish a pro-active strategy and a roadmap for member states to follow. A related initiative, the Turkey and Spain co-sponsored "Alliance of Civilizations", drew the Conference's praise for its work in facilitating dialogue "emphasizing the common values of different cultures and religions." The Conference urged the international community to support the initiative. ¶11. (U) Kazakhstan offered to host a ministerial in 2008 to promote dialogue between the Muslim World and the West. -------------- OIC Supports UN Recommendations for Kosovo -------------- ¶12. (U) Representatives at a pre-conference in Jeddah did not reach consensus on Albania's proposal to garner OIC support for Kosovo's independence, so it was one of the issues left to the Special Committee to resolve during the Islamabad ISLAMABAD 00002348 003.2 OF 003 ministerial. Consensus on the following language was reached and is copied here in full from the communique. BEGIN QUOTE: The Conference recognized that the Kosovo issue has entered into a new and crucial phase of the negotiations in the UN Security Council. It also recognized Mr. Ahtisaari's efforts and other contributions and considered that the outcome in this regard would contribute to the maintenance of the stability in Kosovo. The Conference expressed its hope that the international community work together constructively on the issue of Kosovo, and called upon UNSC to address, on equal footing, all other issues pertaining to the maintenance of international peace and security. END QUOTE. -------------- Science and Technology Should Be a Priority -------------- ¶13. (U) The Conference called on member states to contribute at least one percent of their Gross Domestic Product to promoting science and technology to helping build knowledge-based economies while developing information technology to international standards. -------------- Next Ministerial In Uganda Next Islamic Summit in Senegal -------------- ¶14. (U) Next year's ministerial conference will be in Kampala, Uganda at a date to be determined. The 11th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference (the highest OIC decision making body -- it meets once every three years) will take place 13-14 March in Dakar, Senegal. BODDE