UNITED NATIONS, Dec 19: Pakistan was appointed First Coordinator of the Islamic nations on the issues of international peace and security at the United Nations on Thursday following a meeting of the Organization of ‘Islamic Conference here.

As the coordinator of the Working Group, Pakistan would regularly brief the Islamic group on the issues of relevance to the OIC under consideration of the UN Security Council.

Pakistan begins its two-year term as a member of the Security Council on Jan 1, 2003.

This is the first time that the OIC has established the mechanism of thematic working groups with an aim to coordinate and enhance the activities of the OIC at the UN.

An OIC press release said the decision was in compliance with the resolution adopted by the Islamic Conference of the Foreign Ministers moot at its 29th session held at Khartoum in June 2002.

The resolution had called for greater and regular coordination among the Islamic group at the UN in Geneva and New York on issues of concern to the Islamic Ummah.