Turkish President Sezer Calls On Diplomats From Muslim Countries To Contribute To Analyses And Solutions For World's Problems

ISTANBUL (CIHAN) - Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in his opening speech of the meeting of foreign ministers of Organization of Islamic Conference called for statesmen of the world to ask questions about the problems of the Muslim World and called for more rational and critical evaluations of the problems.
The 31st foreign ministers meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference kicked off in Istanbul on Monday and Sezer delivered the opening speech of the meeting.
President Sezer said that the attention of the World community has focused on the Islamic World in recent years and people living in the Muslim World have began asking questions about the problems of the Muslim World. President Sezer added that the answers to the problems are related not only with the past but also with the future of the Muslim World.
The Turkish President said that the world has encountered historical developments since the foundation of the Organization of Islamic Conference in 1969 and the new winds of change in the world are being felt now. Sezer stated that developments in the 20th century showed that global peace, welfare, security and stability would not be achieved with military power and military methods.
President Sezer said that acceptance of human rights, freedoms, modern judicial principles, sexual equality and religious tolerance at the global level were requirements for national development.
Sezer stated that the Organization of Islamic Conference was representing a large portion of the world and the members of the organization should find new more effective methods with better results in order to raise their common voices and contribute to solutions.
President Sezer said that the Organization of Islamic Conference has reached a turning point in its own historical process and now the most important question that awaits the OIC is how it can be an important political power in international politics. President Sezer also said that the members of the OIC should openly state their will to accelerate political, social and economic reforms. He said that there was an increasing demand for political, social and economic reforms in the center of the Islamic World, the Middle East. He stated the need for the Muslim World to openly express the need for reforms.
Pointing to the American `Greater Middle East Project`, Sezer said that the international community was ready to support the reform process but a more realistic attitude paying special attention to the dynamics and characteristic of these countries was needed for positive results.
Sezer said that the reform process in the Muslim World had started so long ago that it would not stop.
Commenting on Palestinian problems, Erdoðan said that peace in the Middle East would not be possible without a just and sustainable solution for Palestine and added that the disproportional use of power by Israel has increased tension and brought suffering to civilians.
President Sezer also called support of Muslim countries to lift the embargo and sanctions on Turkish Cyprus after the failed UN-backed peace plan referendum on April 24. Sezer said that the Cyprus Turks supported the proposal and should not be punished for its failure.
Commenting on UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan`s report presented to the UN Security Council last week that called for an end to the embargo, Sezer said that there was no obstacles before Muslim countries to make contact with Turkish Cyprus after the removal of UN-backed sanctions.