19th Comcec Meeting

OIC SECRETARY GENERAL BELKEZIZ CALLS ON OIC ACTION PLAN TO BE PUT FORTH TO INCREASE ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION AMONG MEMBER COUNTRIES

ISTANBUL - Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Abdelouahed Belkeziz said on Wednesday that OIC action plan should be put forth to increase economic and trade cooperation among member countries.
Addressing the opening session of the 19th Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), Belkeziz said the meeting took place after 10th OIC summit that had taken place in Malaysia, stating that the summit revealed all the successful initiatives of COMCEC. Belkeziz said preferential trade system was put into practice, and that thus ways of trade were opened among OIC member countries.
Belkeziz said all the obstacles, in front of improvement of trade relations among the member countries should be lifted, and that negative effects of those obstacles should be overcome.
Belkeziz said they also found the opportunity to evaluate results of 5th ministers meeting of the World Trade Organization held in Cancun city of Mexico.
Belkeziz said they would discuss improvement of trade among OIC member countries, and effects of information technology on economic activities, stressing that this meant acceleration of studies in the current global atmosphere.
OIC Secretary General Belkeziz said one of the most important issues that should be done was to put forward OIC action plan to increase trade and economic relations.
Pointing out that current 11 percent trade volume among OIC member countries was extremely low, Belkeziz said negotiations of preferential trade agreement system should start.
(AY) 22.10.2003