NAZARBAYEV URGES OIC TO ESTABLISH DIALOGUE WITH WEST

ASTANA (KAZAKHSTAN), June 29 (Bernama) – The Organisation of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) has been urged to establish an open and honest dialogue between
the Muslim world and the West.

The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev said the open dialogue was
needed to explain the true meaning of Islam which had nothing to do with the
activities of extremist and terrorist groups, disguised under religious
phraseology.

"The Muslim world in the eyes of Western society is associated primarily
with its radical part and causes unwarranted fear, despite the fact that Islam
preaches universal values of kindness, tolerance and justice.

"As is known, those who suffer the most from terrorism are the citizens of
the Islamic countries," he said in the opening speech of the 38th OIC Council of
Foreign Ministers, here Tuesday.

Nazarbayev said OIC members must to learn to confront religious
fundamentalism as a political ideology.

He said the dialogue was important at a time when extremists of various
stripes sought to sow seeds of alienation in the world, to draw the world into
the so-called “clash of civilizations”.

"The clash of Christian and Muslim civilizations, to which we are being
pushed, can destroy the whole world. Is this not enough to stop everybody? This
thought should make everyone consider the significance of preserving peace and
harmony," he said.

Nazarbayev also suggested the OIC to create the e-Islam internet resources
to stimulate the interest of the youths in religion and culture of Islam and
spreading the Muslim spiritual values.

"Today there is a strong onslaught of “new media” in the Internet and in
this respect, I suggest creating the e-ISLAM Internet resource, which would
cover the activity of our Organisation, stimulating the interest of the youths
in religion and culture of Islam and spreading the Muslim spiritual values”, he
said.

Describing Kazakhtan as OIC’s youngest member, the president said that OIC
should take a proactive action to increase the competitiveness of every member
state of the organisation separately and the Ummah as a whole.


"OIC countries control 70 per cent of global energy resources. However, they
account for only 7.5 per cent of global GDP and 11 per cent of total volume of
global trade. And this situation is totally unacceptable.

"That is why we propose to develop an integrated strategy for economic
development of the OIC member states at the Seventh World Islamic Economic Forum
that took place here three weeks ago," he said.

The president said, the Islamic world needed to break free from the vector
of development based on raw materials to industrial and innovative development.

"I propose to develop and adopt a joint Action Plan within the OIC for
investment and technological cooperation in energy sector, as well as to
establish an International centre for innovation.

"The creation of support system for small and medium enterprises within the
OIC is a promising direction and we propose to establish a Special Fund for
small and medium businesses under the Islamic Development Bank," he added.

The three-day OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting began today and Foreign Minister
Anifah Aman is leading a Malaysian delegation consisting of officials
of the ministry and its agencies.

Malaysia will bring forth to the Council the need to enhance economic
cooperation, poverty elevation, and collaboration in the field of education,
science, and technology.

-- BERNAMA