The extraordinary summit of member states of the Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) concluded in Doha today with a final communiqué read by OIC Secretary-General Dr. Abdulwahid Belkeziz. The communiqué stressed the OIC's absolute rejection of any strike against Iraq or of a threat to the security and safety of any Islamic country; and affirmed the need to solve the Iraqi crisis peacefully within the framework of the United Nations in accordance with the relevant resolutions, while preserving the security, sovereignty, safety and territorial integrity of both Iraq and its neighboring countries. The communiqué welcomed Iraq's implementation of UN Security Council 1441 and its cooperation in facilitating the mission of the international inspectors; called on all countries to support Islamic efforts aimed at averting war, in the hope that this cooperation will continue; stressed that Islamic countries should refrain from participating in any military action targeting the security, safety and territorial integrity of Iraq or any Islamic country; expressed its solidarity with the Iraqi people, calling for lifting the siege imposed on them; and called on the international community to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East, including Israel.

On the Palestinian issue, the communiqué stressed that the OIC stands behind the Palestinian people, their national leadership under President Yasser Arafat, and their legitimate rights in accordance with United Nations resolutions calling for Israel's withdrawal to pre-1967 borders, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds [East Jerusalem] as its capital, and a just solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees. The communiqué urged member states to continue to provide political, financial and moral support to the Palestinian people in their legitimate resistance to occupation. The Muslim leaders affirmed their adoption of the Arab peace initiative, and emphasized their full solidarity with Syria for return of the occupied Golan Heights, and with Lebanon, for the return of the remaining occupied territories including the Shaba'a farms.

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