AZERBAIJAN TAKES OVER OIC CHAIRMANSHIP FROM YEMEN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 19 2006

Azerbaijan took over the chairmanship of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC) from the Republic of Yemen at the 33rd
session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in Baku (APA).

The session has brought together 51 of the OIC 57 member states as
well as delegates from 90 states as observers.

Yemen’s Foreign Minister AbuBaker AlQribi in his speech touched
on the caricature event in the Western media assessing this as an
attack on Islam. He said Muslim countries have demonstrated the
will of struggling against the happenings. Mr. AlQribi also said the
problems should be approached carefully, and contradictions should be
solved diplomatically. He said Israel is committing violence against
Palestinians stressing the importance of its joining the international
treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu addressing the
session regretted that Azerbaijan’s lands are still under Armenian
occupation. Mr.Ihsanoglu called on the international organizations
to pay attention to this issue and assist Azerbaijani refugees.

The 33rd session will be over on 21 June.