ISTANBUL: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has accused Iran of supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of regional states including Syria and Yemen.
Muslim leaders have been attending a summit of the 57-member organization to discuss a range of issues such as the humanitarian fallout from Syria’s civil war.
“The conference deplored Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the states of the region and other member states including Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, and Somalia, and its continued support for terrorism,” the OIC said in its final summit communique.
It also expressed strong condemnation of the Daesh group and the role of Iran and its proxies in regional conflicts.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who chaired the final session of the OIC summit, lamented the fact that Muslim countries who are “the heirs of a civilization that was built on columns of peace and justice are being remembered more for wars, armed conflict, sectarianism and terrorism.”
During the closing ceremony, the president said: “As Muslims, we cannot overcome our difficulties without achieving unity in spite of our differences.”
Erdogan also said that the establishment of an international arbitration body in Istanbul is part of the OIC 2025 action plan and welcomed a decision reached a day earlier to create a Turkey-based police coordination center aimed at increasing cooperation against terrorism.
The final declaration expressed hope that negotiations that started in Geneva on April 13 would contribute to resolving “the Syrian crisis as soon as possible.”
The conference pledged to combat terrorism in all its forms and condemned Daesh for its use of chemical weapons in Iraq.
It “deplored Iran’s interference” and “continued support for terrorism” not only in Syria but also Bahrain, Yemen and Somalia.
The Arab League declared Hezbollah a “terrorist” group in March after Gulf states did the same earlier in the month over the movement’s support for Assad’s regime.
There was a security lockdown around the summit venue in Istanbul.
Turkey has been on high alert following attacks claimed by Daesh and increased violence linked to the Kurdish conflict.
The summit marked one of Istanbul’s most significant gatherings of heads of state for years.
At the sidelines of the summit, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum to create a bilateral cooperation council.
Summit denounces Tehran's plots
• Islamic Summit Conference supports Islamic Military Alliance for Combating Terrorism
• OIC rejects Iran’s inflammatory statements on execution of judicial decisions in Saudi Arabia
• Muslim leaders denounce aggression against Saudi missions in Tehran, Mashhad
• OIC communique deplores Iran’s continued support for terrorism
• Summit deplores Iran’s interference in internal affairs of Bahrain, Yemen, Syria and Somalia
• Leaders rap Hezbollah for terrorist activities in Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen
• Hezbollah under fire for supporting terrorist activities that undermine security of OIC states
• Leaders stress need to preserve Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity
• Summit reaffirms its principled support for rights of Palestinians
• Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey commended for generously hosting Syrian refugees
• Member states & international community urged to support Syrian refugees
• Daesh condemned for using chemical weapons against the civilians
• Summit reiterates continued support for legitimate Yemeni government of President Hadi
• OIC reaffirms support for people of Kashmir and calls on India to implement UN resolutions
• Conference reiterates its principled position against terrorism in all its forms
OIC leaders accuse Iran of supporting terrorism
OIC leaders accuse Iran of supporting terrorism
EU sends emergency generators to Ukraine as France plans to coordinate aid
- The European Commission will send 447 emergency generators worth $4.3m to restore power
- “Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ... are designed to break Ukrainian spirit,” Lahbib said
PARIS: The European Union is deploying emergency generators to Ukraine, saying Russian bombings have left a million people without power and heating, while France plans to hold a call to rally international help for Ukrainians exposed to extreme cold.
Electrical engineers have been working around the clock in hazardous conditions for weeks since Russia escalated attacks on Ukraine’s grid during a cold snap that has reached temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 F).
The European Commission will send 447 emergency generators worth 3.7 million euros ($4.3 million) to restore power to hospitals, shelters and critical services affected by “relentless Russian strikes,” it said in a statement on Friday.
It added the generators will be mobilized from strategic reserves hosted in Poland and distributed in cooperation with the Ukrainian Red Cross to the most affected communities.
“Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ... are designed to break Ukrainian spirit,” European crisis chief Hadja Lahbib said in the statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared an energy emergency after the strikes over winter knocked out power generation and distribution facilities.
“We won’t let Russia freeze Ukraine. We bring light and warmth where Russia sends darkness,” Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova told a daily news briefing.
FRANCE TO HOLD CALL WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
Earlier on Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told BFM television that France would
hold a call
with G7 countries as well as Nordic and Baltic states later in the day to coordinate support for Ukraine’s energy grid.
“He continues to shell Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. We will continue to support Ukraine,” Barrot said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said France would supply Ukraine with the equivalent of 13 extra megawatts of electricity and around 100 generators to replace destroyed infrastructure. Other countries would also pledge assistance during the virtual meeting, he said.
