The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin İhsanoglu said that there must be a seat for allocated for the OIC in the UN Security Council (UNSC). Talking to Today's Zaman as he is getting ready to leave the Presidency of the OIC at the end of this year after serving for nine years, İhsanoglu evaluated the current status of the organization that has 57 member states and is the largest international organization after the UN.
İhsanoglu argued that for the first time, the Muslim world has rallied around the OIC and taken a single position on international matters, turning the OIC into an important instrument for Muslim countries. He described this ability to act collectively as the biggest success of the OIC since he became the president of the OIC in 2005, which was called then the Organization of Islamic Conference.
"The most important thing is that the Muslim world came together for the first time and reacted to international issues. This turned the OIC into a global actor," İhsanoglu stated. According to him, the visits of figures like UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon, Prince Charles of Wales and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the attendance of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton at OIC meetings are all indicators of the increasing significance of the organization.
Stating bold goals and priorities for the organization, İhsanoglu aims to gain a status for the OIC in the UN. "The EU has a status in the UN which gives it the authority to speak on behalf of the EU members. We should strive for a similar status for the OIC," İhsanoglu says.
Explaining his further goals to Today's Zaman, İhsanoglu says that since the first day he came to office he has targeted a seat for the OIC on the UNSC. He points out that in addition to Western countries, Russia and China are represented on the UNSC, but the Muslim world has no representation.
İhsanoglu says that he has always suggested that there be a permanent seat for the OIC to represent the Muslim world at UN reform negotiations. Projecting the status of OIC as a "plus one" to the five permanent members, İhsanoglu adds that the status and the rights of the OIC could be negotiated.
Expressing hope for the future of the Muslim countries in the world, İhsanoglu believes there is concrete reason for that hope. "There is tremendous change in the world. Asia has the economic weight of the world and hosts the majority of the Muslim population. Asia offers opportunities for a more active Muslim world." While noting that there are three Muslim countries in the G-20, İhsanoglu emphasizes that seven of the 11 countries that are considered the "future 11" are members of the OIC.
Commenting on the Middle East peace process, the Secretary-General says: "The State of Palestine could be established if the US wants. We expect US President Barack Obama to keep the promises he made in Cairo." He believes that as the greatest power in the world and the only country capable of putting pressure on Israel, the US could achieve peace when it wants to establish it.
İhsanoglu said that creating the impression that human rights, the rule of law, the role of women and freedom of expression are incompatible with Islam is the worst disservice to Islam.
Arab 'uprisings', not 'spring' says İhsanoglu
İhsanoglu rejects using the term "spring" for what has been happening in the Arab world. He prefers using the word "uprising" instead, as spring would come only if good governance, democracy, human rights, transparency and the rule of law were instituted. According to İhsanoglu, there is a long way to go to establish these in the Arab world; however, he does not call the process a revolution either.
"It is like the explosion of energy as a result of pressure. The dictators are gone, but a new order has not been established yet. It will take a lot of time for new regimes to be established," İhsanoglu says referring to the Arab countries affected by recent uprisings.
As far as the Israeli apology from Turkey is concerned, İhsanoglu believes that it will not have an impact on the Arab uprisings, but will lead to an ease in relations in the Middle East.
In critical remarks of the prejudices against the Arab world and in particular Arab capital in Turkey, İhsanoglu says there had been an "allergy" to Islamic banking in Turkey. "The then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair invited me because they wanted to turn London into a center of Islamic banking," says İhsanoglu, as he adds that in Turkey the same banking style was considered reactionary at the time.