Ihsanoglu dispatches delegation to probe
implementation of southern Philippines peace accord
A
high-level delegation dispatched by the Organization of
the Islamic Conference (OIC) and headed by H.E.
Ambassador Seyed Kasim Al-Masry will be arriving in
Manila, Republic of the Philippines, on Tuesday 17 May
2006.
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), has
decided to send the delegation in order to hold
discussions with senior officials in the Republic of the
Philippines as well as leaders of the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF). The OIC delegation will also be
visiting the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),
southern Philippines, in order to assess progress on the
implementation of the Peace Agreement signed between the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP)
and the MNLF on 2 September 1996. The OIC delegation’s
main objective will be to gain first-hand knowledge of
the situation on the ground with a view to overcoming
any impediments to the full implementation of this
historical agreement and submitting a report thereon to
the Thirty-third Session of the Islamic Conference of
Foreign Ministers (ICFM) to be held in Baku, Republic of
Azerbaijan, on 19-21 June 2006.
Secretary General, Ihsanoglu had earlier received at
the Headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat an
official delegation headed by Mr. Jesus Dureza, Advisor
to the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Ihsanoglu took the opportunity to emphasize the full
implementation by the GRP
of all the provisions of the Peace Agreement in order to
restore peace and stability in southern Philippines. At
the same time, he reaffirmed the OIC’s firm readiness to
assist both sides to implement the Peace Agreement and
defeat obstacles to this goal. “Failing to achieve
peace, stability, and development in southern
Philippines continues to be a central concern for the
OIC Member States and Muslim public opinion in light of
the protracted suffering of Muslims living in this
region for a long time without radical and fair
solutions to their predicament”, Ihsanoglu explained. He
added: “Efforts should be mobilized and coordinated to
find the right solutions to these problems”.
GRP officials have
officially communicated to the OIC General secretariat
that they welcomed the visit of the OIC mission and that
they were ready to make every possible effort to
facilitate the mission.
Jeddah, 16 May 2006
