Interesting news today out of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Istanbul:
Islamic conference backs new Iraqi government
Associated Press
Jun. 16, 2004 07:35 AMISTANBUL, Turkey – The world’s largest Islamic organization pledged Wednesday to “actively help” Iraq in its transition to sovereignty and democracy – support seen as a key boosting the stature of the U.S.-backed Iraqi interim government.
The 57-country Organization of the Islamic Conference, closing a three-day foreign ministers’ meeting in Istanbul, also called on the international community to give priority to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict and said Islamic countries will work to promote reform and development.
The Istanbul Declaration was adopted at the closing session of the conference , which closed its three-day session Wednesday.
The declaration announced its support “for steps toward ending the occupation of Iraq.” It supports the process of the transfer of authority to the Iraqis and stresses that the transfer of authority “must be full.”
On Tuesday, Iraq also received solid support from the country’s neighbors and Egypt, who met on the sidelines of the OIC conference.
The support from the OIC and the bordering states was seen as a help the interim Iraqi government as it seeks to establish its own legitimacy and distance itself from the disbanded Iraqi Governing Council, which had been branded a U.S. creation.
Strength speaks loudly in the Middle East. I think the fact that we went in there is encouraging others to be more “cooperative.”