Undersecretary participates in OIC meeting

Dhaka, May 5 (BNA): The delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain, headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, participated in the meetings of the 45th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States, held in the capital of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka on May 5-6, under the theme "Islamic values for sustainable peace, solidarity and development". The meeting discussed the most important Islamic topics, especially the developments of the Palestinian issue, the conditions of Rohingya refugees, combating terrorism and extremism and conflicts in the Islamic world, among many others. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah delivered a speech in which he praised the vital and important role played by the OIC in serving the issues of the Islamic world and promoting joint action in various forums and fields in order to face challenges and crises. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs condemned in the strongest terms the blatant and unacceptable interferences in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain by Iran and its militias, which constitute a flagrant violation of all international conventions, diplomatic norms and principles of international law. He urged Iran to stop all irresponsible actions related to supporting and financing terrorism, harboring terrorists, and smuggling weapons and explosives into the Kingdom. He added that such practices not only harm the Kingdom, but also threat international peace and security. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah stressed Bahrain's firm stance on Yemen's support through its participation in the Arab Coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen and providing assistance in the framework of the operation "Restoring Hope" to achieve security and stability under legitimacy and national consensus. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs praised the efforts and initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reunite the Islamic Nation and to address the challenges facing the Islamic world, highlighting its keenness to achieve solidarity and cooperation. He added that the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is a strategic and decisive step to deter all those who aim at destabilizing the region and the world. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah also reiterated Bahrain's categorical rejection of Israel's repeated attacks on the Palestinian people and the Islamic holy sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the continuation of the Israeli occupation authorities with their settlement policy. He added that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel threatens the peace process in the Middle East and impedes all initiatives and negotiations to reach a final solution that preserves the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people and fulfills its legitimate aspirations for an independent, sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital. Regarding the Syrian crisis, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for international affairs stressed the need to find a political solution to end the crisis in order to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people and to stop its ongoing suffering, preserve the unity of Syria and eliminate all sectarian terrorist groups, based on the Geneva 1 Declaration and the Security Council resolution 2254. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah expressed the Kingdom's concern for the continued plight of the Rohingya minority and depriving them of their most basic rights, evident in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of them. He stated that he had witnessed their poor conditions during his visit, along with the heads of delegations of the OIC countries, to the refugee camps of the Rohingya on the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar. He called for joint international action to take urgent and decisive measures to end the Rohingya suffering, and valued the efforts of the Government of Bangladesh in this regard. He also called for a unified and effective Islamic stance that reflects the firm commitment to the issues of the nation based on the principles of the Islamic religion to fulfill the aspirations of people for stability and development. He also noted the full support of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates to host the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation next year. On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, met with a number of foreign ministers and heads of delegations of the member countries, where he discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. The concluding statement of the 45th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States endorsed the draft resolution "Solidarity with the Kingdom of Bahrain in the face of terrorism", praising the Kingdom's efforts to maintain its security, stability and territorial integrity. The Council also welcomed the efforts of the member states in their fight against terrorism, including listing terrorists on the international terrorism list, adding that this position reflects the determination to confront all forms of terrorism at the regional and international levels and represents support for the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain to promote security and peace. The Council condemned the statements made by some European countries before the United Nations Human Rights Council at its 34th session in Geneva on human rights conditions in the Kingdom of Bahrain, reiterating its categorical rejection of the allegations contained in those statements. The Council expressed its hope for those countries to review those positions and to draw up information on human rights from reliable sources.