Posted on 03/14/2008 8:43:31 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Moscow, March 14, Interfax - Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter of greetings to participants and guests of the eleventh summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which is taking place in Dakar, Senegal, on March 13-14.
"The Dakar summit is an important landmark not only for Muslims, but also the international community. This is logical given the growing contribution of the OIC into the resolution of present-day global and regional problems," the Russian president's press service quoted the greeting letter as saying.
"Deeper relations of friendship and cooperation with the Islamic world are Russia's strategic course. That is why we note with pleasure that after our country secured the status of observer in the OIC our constructive cooperation with the Muslim world gained a new dynamics," Putin said.
This interaction rests on a solid basis of "adherence to the strengthening of collective and legal principles of international relations with the UN's playing a leading role, which makes us closer. We are allies in the fight against terrorism, any manifestation of political and religious extremism, as well as in confronting other dangers to security and sustainable development in the 21st century," Putin's letter of greetings says.
"Russia, as well as other Islamic countries, is seriously concerned by a number of still unresolved conflicts. The determination of Russia in its foreign policy to actively assist in the search for a just resolution of the Palestinian problem and the revitalization of the situation in the Middle East in general stems from this," the letter reads.
"We are determined to do our utmost to get the process for a comprehensive Arab-Israeli settlement back on track. We believe that this should result in the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state and put an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, while every country in the region, including Israel, has an opportunity to live in peace, security and cooperation," Putin said.
Russia will continue to back the efforts of Iraq and the international community, including those of the OIC and the League of Arab States, aimed at preventing a split in Iraq along religious and ethnic lines and instigating a dialogue within Iraq in the interests of achieving national consent on key issues affecting the country's future, the Russian president said.
"Ensuring the peaceful resolution of issues related to Iran's nuclear program, which should contribute to the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and the stabilization of the situation in the Persian Gulf region, is no less important for us. Russia's proposals on creating a security and cooperation systems in the region pursue the same goal," the letter says.
Now when tensions in relations between civilizations are increasing, Russia's partnership with the Islamic world is in particularly high demand, the Russian president said. "We share concerns about the danger of a world splitting along religious and civilization lines and are ready to deal with this threat jointly," the letter says.
"Russia will continue to actively interact with the OIC and contribute to its work," Putin said.
Putin's letter of greetings was delivered by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who is attending the summit.
Russia will never let anyone “put it at odds with the Islamic world, no matter how somebody or other would want it, and no matter how circumstances would develop in this or other international issue,” the Russian foreign minister said at a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference here.
“We shall always respect OIC decisions,” he said. “There is no and there can be no systemic or civilizational controversy between us,” Lavrov stressed. “As a multinational and multi-confessional society with centuries-long history, Russia is also part of the Islamic world,” he emphasized.
“Russia and OIC have a vast field for cooperation in international affairs,” he continued. Lavrov said Russia will always be “an ally in efforts towards ensuring justice and equality in the present-day world, towards democratisation of international affairs, so that any state irrespective of its size and civilizational identity could expect a worthy place in the society of nations, an equal protection by international law,” he said.
“Russia will in every possible way contribute to the establishment of a dialogue among civilizations and cooperation in all regions on the global scope, including through the activity of the joint with OIC group of strategic vision ‘Russia-Islamic World’,” the top Russian diplomat stressed.
no surprise. Another sign of The End Times.
Hey, isn’t that Obama’s position, too? Let’s just elect Pootin for president!
Be careful what you ask for, Putin - you just may get it.
Has he lost his mind?...........
He may wind up losing his head.
This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Russia will go along with anything that puts leaders up as the sole power. The followers either follow or disappear. This has been Putin’s way and the Islamic way. Why don’t our people see this? We have a major conflict brewing.....our people better wake up.
I think your right. Everything happening in the last five years points in that direction. It’s like watching a slo mo replay of the touchdown. You already know how it plays out, but seeing the action in slo mo is mesmerizing.
Pootin is Islam’s ‘best friend’, Pootin is Serbia’s ‘best friend’......the friend of my enemy is my enemy.....Pootin is Pootin’s worst enemy!
Possibly a sign to Thailand that they should let the arms dealer Bout go.
Apparently the childen of Beslan were Puitin’s blood sacrifice to his ROP masters..
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