Qureshi, Sushma may come face to face in Abu Dhabi
NEW DELHI: Foreign ministers of India and Pakistan could come face to face in Abu Dhabi on March 1 where Delhi has been invited in a rare move to address the plenary meeting of OIC foreign ministers.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said that the invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to address the Inaugural Plenary of the 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is a “welcome recognition of the presence of 185 million Muslims in India and of their contribution to its pluralistic ethos, and of India’s contribution to the Islamic world”.
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The meeting will be held in Abu Dhabi on March 1 and 2, for which Ms Swaraj has been invited by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the ‘Guest of Honour’. The Indian ministry did not mention any possibility of a meeting between Indian and Pakistan foreign ministers.
The OIC describes itself as “the collective voice of the Muslim world”, and its stated objective is “to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world”.
In the past the group has criticised India’s human rights abuse in occupied Kashmir.
The invitation to India to the OIC meeting coincides with the recent visit to Pakistan and India by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has advocated a peaceful resolution to the differences between the two countries, including their current standoff following the Pulwama attack.
The Indian Express said the OIC has reserved its membership for Muslim-majority countries. Russia, Thailand, and couple of other small countries have observer status. At the 45th session of the Foreign Ministers’ Summit in May 2018, Bangladesh, the host country, had suggested that India, where more than 10 per cent of the world’s Muslims live, should be given observer status, but Pakistan had opposed the proposal.
The first-time invitation to India to be a ‘Guest of Honour’ at the plenary, especially at a time of heightened tensions with Pakistan following the Pulwama terrorist attack, is a significant diplomatic victory for New Delhi, the Express said.
Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2019
Comments (38) Closed
Sushmaji will be Guest of Honour at OIC meeting in Abu-Dhabi.
I hope they meet to sort things out... Peace and only peace.
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
This is so good.. Indian FM in OIC meeting
Good move by Oic to bring Kashmir issue to table for dialogue with India. Otherwise Oic just remains oh I see.
I am proud of my India and it's progress. A proud Indian Muslim from Kerala-India
Guest of honor for India.
That's very good news
Good move by OIC, UAE and Saudi govt.
Now India should closely look at the resolution of OIC regarding the issue of Kashmir.
OIC inviting India as a guest is a big diplomatic victory for India..
Yes its a diplomatic victory for them. Pakistan should welcome this for regional peace
Hmm....interesting...
Indian diplomacy has become invincible under Modi. Amazing guy with 100% commitment to his country.
That’s India. Valued and respected worldwide.
It means more Indian influence in islamic countries.
The OIC cannot claim to represent the interests of Muslims if the concerns of those living in non Islamic countries do not find representation.
Why should a foreign minister of a country where Muslims are suffering through the government policies be invited to the OIC meeting?
Breaking walls is essential.
Guest of Honour by IOC to India.
That's called diplomacy and victory.
Susmajl is well versed in handling such situations.
India should be booted out of the OIC due to the atrocities committed against the defenceless Kashmiries and Muslims in general overall in In India.
Pakistan need to play this very carefully as this can be two way sward.
A big one indeed!
Thanks OIC, Sushmaji, Indian muslims highly appreciate this
The tensions have diffused already. Something happened in the back end.
India has a poor record when its comes to Muslims rights, let’s see if this hardliners Sushma turns up.
Sure sounds like MBS suggested dialogue to India and she jumped on it this time to save face after failing to get support from any quarters for war including from it's own public and armed forces.
'The first-time invitation to India to be a ‘Guest of Honour’ at the plenary, especially at a time of heightened tensions with Pakistan following the Pulwama terrorist attack, is a significant diplomatic victory for New Delhi, the Express said.'
This is in Pakistan advantage as Indian brutality in Kashmir, IOK will be now a matter for all OIC members. Furthermore, the Kashmir issue can now be resolved by OIC involvement. And Indian will find it hard to murder Muslims in India wantonly.
@Deepak, Of course, it's good. Now Kashmiris in IOK, will also have representation in OIC, which can invite them to OIC.
@Patriot, the same applies to China too.
This is bringing India accountable for muslim slaughter in Indian union.
Muslim countries should boycott this meeting on the presence of India.
Guest of horror is more like it, there is no way anyone can get thru Sushma’s hate for Pakistan, which is Modi’s vision
@Sunny , For India, yes, but will it make a difference?
There is no diplomatic victory here for India. Saudis and UAE and also US wanted to see deescalation of tensions between both countries and India wanted to climb down from their tough rhetoric hence this invite which allows them space to do it.
disinvite India OIC - it is like inviting Israel, after all, they are also have a large Muslim population. India should not be given observer status.
@Patriot, Why should a foreign minister of a country where Muslims....
India has more Muslims than Pakistan.... India is deserving to be a member rightfully.....
do not trust the lot of them