OIC chief holds talks with foreign ministers in New York

RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hissein Brahim Taha recently met Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani.

The two officials met on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The discussions focused on the relations between the OIC and Pakistan, as well as important topics on the OIC agenda such as the Palestinian issue, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and efforts to combat Islamophobia.

Gilani expressed appreciation for OIC’s important role in defending these causes.

In a separate meeting, Taha also held talks with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen who told him that his country proposed a law criminalizing the desecration of holy books.

Taha also engaged in discussions with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. During the meeting, Rasmussen informed Taha about Denmark’s proposal to enact a law that would criminalize the desecration of holy books.

Taha reiterated the OIC’s stance on acts such as the burning and desecration of copies of the Holy Qur’an, as outlined in the decision of the 18th extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

He emphasized that the organization urges relevant countries to implement measures aimed at preventing the recurrence of such behavior.

Taha also praised the step taken by Denmark in this regard.

The OIC chief also had a meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and discussed enhancing cooperation between the OIC and Iran, as well as strategies to strengthen joint Islamic efforts.

They also addressed various topics of mutual concern, including the Palestinian cause, the situation in Afghanistan, and the OIC’s initiatives to combat Islamophobia.