Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
The current changes in the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries, threats and security problems, they have encountered, the deteriorating humanitarian situation cause concern, said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
He made the statement at an annual meeting of foreign ministers of the OIC member-states in New York.
The minister also mentioned the threats to territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence existing in the OIC member states.
"These threats and problems require strengthening of the solidarity of the Islamic countries," Mammadyarov said.
The minister said that the OIC, based on the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, has openly stated about aggressive actions of Armenia against Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, strongly condemning the use of force against Azerbaijan and occupation of its territories.
Azerbaijani foreign minister thanked the OIC and member countries of the organization for this position.
He also said that Azerbaijan condemns all expressions of extremism and terrorism, adding that fight against terrorism cannot and should not be targeted to a specific religion or culture.
It is necessary to join efforts in order to stop the spread of negative and erroneous opinions about Islam and Muslims, Mammadyarov said.
The meeting of foreign ministers of the OIC member countries was held within the framework of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.