ISTANBUL - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that they came to Istanbul to improve relations between Russia and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
Closing session of the 31st Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers started under the leadership of Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul.
Before the starting of the session, for the first time a Russian Foreign Minister spoke at the OIC meeting.
Stating that they came to Istanbul to improve relations between Russia and OIC, Lavrov said they wanted to set up dialogue on important issues concerning the region and make cooperation.
Lavrov said they wanted to hold a conference in Russia about ''Islam, peace, development and fight against terrorism'', stressing that they planned to set up an Islam University in Moscow.
Lavrov said he believed that close cooperation between Russia and OIC would contribute to the regional stability.
Stating that UN resolution regarding the Middle East peace process should be abided by, Lavrov said there was already a ''road map'' for the dispute between Israel and Arab countries and that the best conditions should be created for the solution of the problem.
On Iraq issue, Lavrov pointed to the importance of preservation of territorial integrity of this country, and noted that a positive momentum was observed in the region at the time being.
Lavrov said the world was face to face with new threats in the new century, stating that international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction increased, and that international community should make cooperation in this respect.
(AY-AÖ) 16.06.2004