Full sovereignty for Iraq sought: OIC backs Kashmiris' rights
ISTANBUL, June 16: Ministers from the world's Muslim countries insisted on Wednesday on the need for full sovereignty and political independence of Iraq, just two weeks before the US-led occupation forces are due to hand over power to an interim government.
In a final statement foreign ministers and delegation heads from the 57 countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) expressed their support for the process in which the Iraqis will assume their sovereignty.
The statement, known as the Istanbul Declaration, also called for an end to the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories, including Jerusalem," lifting of Israel's siege of the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the resolution of Kashmir issue.
It said the OIC was profoundly convinced also of the need for Iraq to "be ruled by its own people through a broad-based, inclusive and fully representative government of Iraq in conformity with a constitution accepted by the Iraqi people."
"We state that this assumption of authority must be full, also the political transition towards the formation of an elected government must be totally inclusive and transparent," it said.
The US-led coalition is due to hand back sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30. The declaration came after a gathering dominated by Iraq. In it, the OIC said it had decided to "actively assist Iraq in its transition."
Ministers also said they strongly condemned the brutal torture of Iraqi prisoners by the occupying forces. The abuse, which has led to several soldiers in the United States and Britain facing courts martial, they said was a violation of the Geneva conventions and international law and called for those responsible to be punished.
Meanwhile the north African states of Tunisia and Morocco along with Pakistan have offered to send troops to protect the United Nations should it return to Iraq, an Arab minister said.
"The interim Iraqi government has made it known that it is not opposed to Arab troops joining the force charged with protecting UN staff and buildings, as long as they are not from neighbouring countries," the minister told AFP.
"Two Arab countries, Tunisia and Morocco, have said they are ready to send troops as well as a major OIC member, Pakistan," said the minister who did not wish to be named.
However, he stressed: "These forces will not be in charge of security in Iraq as their mission is solely focused on the protection of UN personnel." UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said the international body's return to Iraq would depend on the security situation there.
The OIC also called on the United Nations to send troops to Palestinian territories and reaffirmed its support for the creation of a Palestinian state. A call was also made for the international community to bring northern Cyprus back into the fold after the failure of a recent UN peace plan aimed at trying to reunite the island.
The OIC hit out at US sanctions against Syria, and called on other member states to strengthen their links with Damascus. The statement also condemned all forms of global terrorism and committed OIC members to political and social reform.
"We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism... we agree to redouble our efforts in fighting this international scourge." "We all aim to strengthen the representative character and the democratic practices of our governments," it added.
The conference also elected Pakistan as one of the eight members on Finance Control Organization (FCO). On the issue of Kashmir the declaration said: "All rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including their right of self-determination as provided for by the UN Security Council resolutions, should be fully respected and their will be honoured," the declaration added.
The conference also welcomed the dialogue process started by Pakistan and India, and expressed the hope that it will culminate in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. -AFP/DPA/APP
