42nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Kuwait – Kashmir Issue Highlighted

The OIC Secretary General, Mr. IyadAmeenMadani, in his opening statement at the 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), in Kuwait today, made special reference to the need for apeaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, adding that its final disposition, evolved through a sustainable dialogue, should be in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Later, the meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir was chaired by Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General on Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador AbdurRehman Abdullah Alim.The meeting was attended by Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on National Security and Foreign Affairs; Mr. ElmarMamadyarov, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan; Ambassador Muhammad Ahmed Tayyab of Saudi Arabia, Ambassador of Turkey;andAmbassador Dr. OumarouAmadouSonrhai of Niger. SardarMuhammad Yaqoob Khan, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Safi also attended the meeting as the True Representatives of the Kashmiri people.

In his statement, Ambassador Alim reiterated the unwavering support of the OIC for the Kashmir cause. Emphasizing the need for the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he called upon India to respect the will and rights of the Kashmiris. He expressed disappointment on the use of force and violence against the Kashmiri people by the Indian security forces. He also mentioned the mandate given to the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) to monitor the human rights situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and report its findings to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, in his statement, emphasized that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved in accordance with the UN Resolutions and the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that it was one of the longest unsettled issues on the UN agenda, and attributed the delay in its just settlement to the double standards of the international community.

The Saudi Ambassador underscored the need for peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute through meaningful discussions. He added that the people and the Government of Saudi Arabia stood alongside the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle to achieve their right to self-determination. Appreciating the regular visits of OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he proposed that the delegations of the Contact Group member countries should accompany the OIC Special Envoy on a visit to the IOK. The proposal was appreciated by all the participants of the Contact Group.

In his address to the Contact Group, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sartaj Azizstressed that the Government of Pakistan would continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their right to self-determination. He emphasized that the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved in accordance with the relevant UN Resolutions and wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, appreciated OIC’s consistent support to the Kashmiri people. He thanked the OIC Secretary General and Ambassador Alim for taking keen interest in socio-economic development of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Representing the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Safi, apprised the meeting of the situation in IOK. He highlighted the recent killings of youth and protests in IOK and the use of force by Indian occupation forces against the innocent Kashmiris seeking their right to self-determination. He also highlighted the continued detention of the Kashmiri leaders in the Indian occupied Kashmir. The True Representatives of the Kashmiri people presented a Memorandum on Jammu and Kashmir to Ambassador Alim.

Islamabad
27 May 2015

197/2015