OIC Chief meets Indonesian President and Malaysian Prime Minister

Jeddah, March 03, SPA -- The Secretary General of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, met yesterday at
the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesian President, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono.

The talks focused on the relations of cooperation between the OIC
and the Republic of Indonesia. The Secretary General lauded the
well-developed and historic relationships linking the OIC and
Indonesia, extolling the significant role played by Indonesia in all
OIC activities.

For his part, the Indonesian President commended the role of the
OIC, highlighting in particular its achievements since 2005.


He expressed his appreciation for the reform process spearheaded by
the Secretary General and the latter's efforts in strengthening
cooperation, particularly in the economic field, according to a press
release of the OIC.

In this regard, he praised the speech Professor Ihsanoglu delivered
at the 5th World Islamic Economic Forum, and his call to boost
intra-OIC trade.

Ihsanoglu briefed President Yudhoyono on the efforts deployed to
consolidate the reform process across the board, noting that the OIC
strives to implement reform in the field of human rights in pursuance
of the recommendations adopted by the leaders of the Muslim world at
the Extraordinary Makkah Summit held in 2005 by establishing an
independent body dealing with human rights issues.

The Secretary General paid tribute to the democratic experience
conducted in Indonesia under the leadership of President Yudhoyono as
an edifying model that could be emulated in the Muslim world. He also
dwelt at length on the OIC tsunami orphans sponsorship program that
benefits 25,000 victims who were orphaned by the tsunami catastrophe.


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