ISTANBUL, Feb 12 (A.A) - The ''OIC-EU Joint Forum'' in which the theme of ''Civilization and Harmony: The Political Dimension'' will be discussed upon the proposal of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, started in Istanbul on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Cem welcomed the guest ministers and delegations at Ciragan Palace where the Forum takes place.
The Forum later started by the opening speech of Cem.
Following the opening speech of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, EU Term President Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Pique, OIC Term President Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabour Al Thani, EU Secretary General of the European Council, the High Representative of Common Defense Foreign Policy, and OIC Secretary General Abdellouahed Belkeziz will issue statements.
The opening session will end following the speeches to be issued by some other ministers and by their pictures taken.
In the afternoon, a luncheon to be hosted in which Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will speak. The theme of the luncheon will be ''Prevention of Political and Cultural Fault Lines.''
Two panel discussions will be held in the afternoon in which themes of ''Confronting Common Challenges in Today's Environment'' and ''Politics and Media'' will be discussed.