ANKARA - Turkey`s nominee for the office of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) secretary general Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu seems close to undertake this position in the OIC 31st Conference of Foreign Ministers that will take place in Istanbul, Turkey between June 14 and 16.
Sources stated Prof Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Director General of Islamic Conference Organization Research Center for Islamic History, Art, and Culture (IRCICA), had a high chance to be elected as OIC secretary general as he has been working under the body of organization for 24 years and he knew structure of the organization well.
Ankara, which has carried out an intensive diplomacy for candidacy of Ihsanoglu in Turkey and abroad, aims OIC to turn into an international organization protecting interests of Islam world.
Sources said that Turkey`s close relations with the west and east and its regional experiences would contribute much to the organization and noted that Turkey`s undertaking the position of OIC secretary general would be an important development for representation of Muslims living in Europe.
(EÖ-BRC) 13.06.2004