ISTANBUL - Turkish President Abdullah Gul delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Standing Committee for Economic & Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul on Thursday.
Gul said global economic fluctuations which had been influential over the last couple months closely concerned members of OIC.
"In such a dire time with a global financial crisis, it is widely agreed that it would be appropriate to keep funds that Muslim countries raised over the last five years again in the Muslim countries," Gul said.
Gul said the COMCEC had made remarkable albeit insufficient progress toward the goals it had set, contributing to the development of political ties in an atmosphere of cooperation.
The Turkish president however said certain chronic problems with political, social, economic and cultural nature had continued to hinder development.
Gul also called for stronger ties of cooperation, which he said was a responsibility for the member states of the organization.
"That includes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which has been facing unjust and inhuman isolations for years. It is our sincere hope that our brothers and sisters there will soon break poverty loop and that peace and stability will be reinstated," Gul said.
Gul said the committee should place a special importance on specialization and the development of a productional infrastructure which could compete in global markets.
"With this objective we should facilitate cooperation between representatives from the private sector, voluntary institutions and between our public offices," Gul said.
The Turkish president also urged the OIC members to exploit major cooperation opportunities in the field of energy.
(YMB-MS)
(ECO)