Istanbul: The 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states commenced on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkiye, with the participation of Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya. The session aims to address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his address, urged the Islamic world to "set aside differences and unite" on common issues and interests. He emphasized the importance of taking collective responsibility to prevent serving the interests of others. President Erdogan warned against the establishment of a "new Sykes-Picot system," whose boundaries, he claimed, would be drawn through conflict in the region.
Erdogan also criticized the "Zionist ambitions" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, equating them to actions that could lead to global turmoil similar to that caused by Adolf Hitler. He described the Israeli occupation's recent actions in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran as "piracy."
Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan highlighted the risk of a comprehensive catastrophe due to Israeli actions against Iran. He affirmed Turkiye's commitment, under its current rotating presidency of the OIC, to voice the concerns of the Islamic world, promote global justice, and oppose injustice. Fidan identified the Israeli occupation as the core issue, rather than the countries it affects.
The session is attended by around 40 officials at the level of prime ministers and foreign ministers, alongside approximately 1,000 participants from the 57 OIC member states, OIC institutions, observer states, and other international organizations.