Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH — The Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Russian Federation have agreed to further strengthen their cooperation.



Visiting OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu signed a cooperation framework agreement with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday. Russia, with a population of 20 million Muslims, enjoys observer status at the pan-Islamic body since July 2005.



The agreement was aimed at institutionalizing the ongoing cooperation between the OIC and the Russian Federation in various domains including the political, social, economic, and science and technology fields, according to an OIC statement. There is a provision in the agreement to intensify regular consultations between the OIC General Secretariat and the Russian Foreign Ministry.



Ihsanoglu was awarded with a Russian medal for his contributions to international cooperation. Lavrov presented the Foreign Ministry’s Medal to Ihsanoglu at a ceremony held at the Foreign Ministry’s Mansion in central Moscow on Tuesday. Lavrov thanked Ihsanoglu for his dedication and continued efforts to enhance OIC-Russia relations. In a joint press conference, the two leaders reiterated their commitment to further cement good cooperation between the OIC and the Russian Federation. Ihsanoglu also attended a luncheon hosted by Lavrov.



During his official visit to Moscow, Ihsanoglu met with the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia (Senate) Dr. Alexander Torshin and Deputy Chairman Ilias Ummakhanov. They lauded the efforts of Ihsanoglu to facilitate observer membership for Russia in the OIC and his commitment to further develop Russia’s relations with the Islamic world. The secretary general was awarded with the Certificate for Great Contribution in recognition of his contributions for the development of relations between the Russian Federation and OIC member states, as well as for the enhancement of relations between the Russian Parliament and the OIC. The OIC chief also met the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Dimitry Mezentsev, and discussed ways to strengthen relations between the two organizations.



In the last leg of his Russian visit, Ihsanoglu arrived Wednesday in Kazan, capital of the autonomous Russian Republic of Tatarstan, where he held talks with Tatarstan’s President Rustam Minnikhanov. He also addressed the 5th International Economic Summit of Russia and OIC countries. High-profile government officials, company executives, business leaders and investors from the Russian Federation and 35 Arab and Muslim states are attending the summit, which is regarded as the largest and single annual platform for economic cooperation between the two sides.



One of the summit’s main objectives is to reopen Russia to the Islamic world, said Linar Yakupov, president of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency, which is organizing the event in cooperation with the Islamic Business and Finance Development Foundation. The two-day summit is expected to initiate a new era of economic and business ties between Russia and 56 OIC member countries, said Hamdan Mohamed Al Murshidi, President Arab Business Club.