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The Secretary General addressed the Council of Europe in
Strasbourg on the OIC vision regarding international
challenges on terrorism, Islamophobia, human rights and
Democracy
During
his visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the
Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu addressed yesterday
(4 October) the Enlarged Bureau of the Ministers’ Deputies
as well as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe. The Secretary General praised the commitment of the
Council to foster intercultural dialogue in the Action Plan
adopted at the Third Summit of the Council of Europe. He
stressed that “Islam and the West could and should live and
co-exist in peace and harmony as the common denominators
that link them and outweigh their differences ”. He called
upon Europe to deploy joint efforts for the recognition of
the “other” and cultural diversity and to address the root
causes of terrorism stressing that dialogue among
civilizations can play a major role in bringing together
still divergent views.
The
Secretary General indicated that the OIC is striving to
disseminate the trends of moderation in Islam in many ways
and that a considerable gathering of Muslim scholars and
intellectuals from all over the world took place in Mecca
last month where moderation in Islam was the central theme.
He also stated that a summit meeting of the leaders of the
Muslim World will be held in Makkah in the next few weeks to
discuss inter–alia this issue and chart a new course for the
new millennium.
The
Secretary General acknowledged that culture and religion are
the contact lines between the two organizations. He
emphasized the need to strengthen ties between the two
institutions on areas of culture and religion.
The
Secretary General presented a number of proposals to
reconcile and accommodate the differences between Islam and
the West. In this regard, he called upon Europe for giving
official recognition to Islam as given to other mainstream
religions which would infuse confidence and harmony. The
Secretary General also called for establishing genuine
intercultural dialogue at local, national, regional and
international levels, and to develop campaigns to foster and
disseminate respect for culture, religious pluralism and
cultural diversity.
At the
end of his speech at the Enlarged Bureau of the Ministers’
Deputies, the Secretary General answered questions raised by
the delegates. A significant number of the Ministers’
Deputies welcomed and commended the constructive spirit
shown by the Secretary General and declared their wish to
cooperate with the OIC.
Prof.
Ihsanoglu, at the end of his address to the Parliamentary
Assembly, answered questions raised by the members of the
Assembly as well.
The
Secretary General’s visit to the headquarters of the Council
of Europe was conducted upon an invitation from the
President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Rene van der
Linden. The President of the Assembly and Mr. Bruno Haller,
the Secretary General of the Assembly warmly received the
Secretary General upon his arrival at the headquarters of
the Council in Strasbourg.
The OIC
Secretary General hold bilateral talks with the President of
the Parliamentary Assembly Mr. Rene Van Linden, who
expressed the commitment of the Council to work jointly with
the OIC in order to promote intercultural dialogue at all
levels, and called for strengthening mutually beneficial
contacts and cooperation between the OIC and the Council of
Europe.
The
Secretary General also met with Mr. Terry Davis, the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who expressed
the desire of the Council in fostering the ties between the
two institutions through practical means of cooperation with
a view to promoting greater coordination on issues of common
interest.
Jeddah
05 October 2005
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