Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD2348
2007-05-26 08:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

ISLAMABAD HOSTS ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC

Tags:  PGOV PK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7544
OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHIL #2348/01 1460818
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 260818Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9372
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 2462
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 0164
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 4208
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 1320
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2087
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 7139
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 8337
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5680
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1013
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 3194
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 9890
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 3274
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 6135
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 0926
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 2410
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 3659
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 0764
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2375
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
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)

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Summary
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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.

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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