Salehi, İhsanoğlu Discuss Iraq, Syria, Mali Events

Jeddah, May 14, IRNA – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi on Monday held talks with Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu on Iraq, Syria and Mali developments. Salehi welcomed OIC initiative to hold emergency ministerial meeting of Mali Contact Group in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Salehi and Ihsanoglu emphasized the grave role of the OIC to settle crises of the Muslim World. Salehi and İhsanoğlu reviewed developments in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf and Africa, including Iraq, Syria and Mali. They underlined the need to restore stability in the regional states as prerequisite for economic development, welfare and progress of the nations. Economic cooperation and regular consultations among the Muslim and neighboring states were other topics discussed by Iranian foreign minister and the OIC secretary-general. They opposed military intervention in Syria, calling for peaceful and political means to stop war and bloodshed in the country. They expressed indignation at extremism which destabilized Syria./end