Statement by
H.E Dr. Dipu Moni, MP
Hon‟ble Foreign Minister of the People‟s Republic of Bangladesh
at the „OIC Annual Coordination Meeting of Foreign Ministers’ New York, UN Conference Room no .. (NLB)
September 23, 2011
Honorable Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Secretary General,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Assalamu-Alaikum,
At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman for organizing this Annual Coordination Meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. I would also like to congratulate Kazakhstan on assumption of Chairmanship of the OIC Group in New York. I assure you my delegation’s full cooperation in facilitating your work. Let me also express our appreciation to Tajikistan for taking various initiatives last year towards strengthening the solidarity and mutual confidence among the Islamic countries for the sake of common progress.
Mr. Chairman,
We appreciate the transformation of our organization under the new name of the organization of Islamic Cooperation with a new logo. It is our firm belief that this will further consolidate unity and cohesiveness of our Muslim Ummah.
Mr. Chairman,
A durable and sustainable resolution of the Arab- Israeli conflict, including the issue of Palestine has always been a major concern for the international community. Bangladesh unites with the international community in reaffirming its full support for the Palestinian people in their just and legitimate struggle for self-determination and freedom from continued occupation. We believe that the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Security Council Resolutions, 242 (1967), 338 (1973), and 425 (1978), the principle of “land-for-peace”, and the Madrid Conference Terms of Reference, the Road Map, the Arab Peace Initiative, are the best guides for achieving a two-State solution. Here let me reiterate Bangladesh‟s strong commitment for the realization of an independent, sovereign and viable State of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, living side-by-side and in peace with all its neighbors.
Mr. Chairman,
The people of Palestine are being denied of their fundamental rights to self-determination and to live freely in their own land, and displaced Palestinians have been denied of their rights to return home and live with dignity and safety. We express our concern at the extensive destruction by the occupying Power, of properties, homes,
economic institutions, agricultural lands and orchards, construction of the wall, confiscation of land and the continued imposition of checkpoints, contrary to international law, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, which have seriously hampered the already critical dire socio-economic situation being faced by the Palestinian population. We are also worried due to the Israeli military operations and the continuing Israeli policy of closures and severe restrictions on the movement of persons and goods, including humanitarian personnel as well as food, medical, fuel, and other essential supplies, in the Gaza Strip, which are causing civilian casualties. I therefore call for maximum restraint paying respect for international humanitarian law.
Mr. President,
We commend President Mahmoud Abbas‟ leadership of the Palestinian Authority, and continued Palestinian institution-building efforts, especially in the areas of governance, rule of law and human rights, livelihoods and productive sectors, education and culture, health, social protection and water. We call on the international community to acknowledge the progress achieved and to recognize independent, sovereign state of Palestine based on the borders of 4 June 1967.
Mr. Chairman,
As we turn to the situations in Lebanon and Occupied Syrian Golan, we express our deep concern that Occupier State is violating Lebanon sovereignty and recurring breaches to Security Council Resolution 1701. It is also a concern that there have been various measures and actions to alter legal, physical and demographic status of the Occupied Syrian Golan.
Mr. Chairman,
The growing trend of Islamophobia and systematic discrimination against Muslims has become quite a common phenomenon now-a-days. We see the increasing intolerance, negative stereotyping, racial profiling and discrimination against Muslim communities in non-OIC Member States, particularly in the West. I condemn Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims and call to promote respect for all religions and cultural values and prevent intolerance, discrimination and the instigation of hatred against any group or followers of any religion.
Given this backdrop, it is important to continue dialogue among civilizations and expansion of relations between the Islamic World and other cultures and civilizations. In this regard, I am pleased to refer to Bangladesh‟s humble efforts towards GA resolution, entitled, „Implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace‟. Bangladesh will continue to play its constructive role in this regard.
Mr. Chairman,
In this context, may I also add here that Bangladesh proposed to include in the agenda of the 66th UN General Assembly an item entitled “People‟s empowerment and a peace-centric development model” pioneered by our Head of the Delegation and Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, a peace-thinker and peace-builder nationally, regionally and globally. This model an original peace-building paradigm by Sheikh Hasina, if emulated globally specially in developing countries, but also in developed societies, will help reduce inequality, disparity, deprivation and poverty while strengthening global efforts towards humane development and fighting terrorism. May I humbly seek your support to move this innovative „Peace Model‟ into the heart of the United Nations, the General Assembly, for further enriching it with peace thoughts and ideas in the greater and common good of the peoples of the world.
Mr. Chairman,
As we witness the unfolding of significant developments in the Middle East and North Africa, I stress upon the need of constructive dialogue and efforts towards peaceful solutions, assuring the protection of civilians. In the spirit of OIC charter, we need to work inter alia through the OIC in order to turn these challenges into opportunities to improve the lives of our peoples by promoting peace, cooperation, rule of law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, good governance, democracy and accountability.
Mr. Chairman,
Member States of OIC are endowed with enormous human and natural resources. But unfortunately, we could not obtain desired success in terms of technological accomplishment and educational achievements. The trend must change rapidly. In order to make it happen, we need to stress upon investments human resource development to better equip our population with dynamism, change and prosperity in the 21st century.
Mr. Chairman,
Let me conclude by saying that the Member-States of OIC include one-fourth of global population. As a representative body of 57 Muslim states, it has the duty in propagating the Muslim causes and in advancing right and peaceful solution of disputes involving Muslim people and countries. Bangladesh is always ready to play its due role in making OIC a fully effective and vibrant organization in line with aspiration of 1.5 billion Muslims throughout the world.
Thank you.