Xi congratulates 14th OIC summit

The summit condemns any decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital

BEIJING－Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a congratulatory message on the opening of the 14th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC, in the Saudi city of Mecca on Friday.

Xi said in his message that the OIC is a symbol of unity for the Islamic countries and he highly appreciates the contributions it has made to promoting cooperation among the Islamic countries since its establishment 50 years ago.

China and the Islamic countries have enjoyed traditionally friendly ties, profound friendship as well as mutual support and sincere cooperation, Xi said.

Xi also said that China stands ready to work with the Islamic countries to enhance political mutual trust and promote practical cooperation and dialogue among civilizations, to jointly create a better future for the friendly ties between China and the Islamic world and contribute to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The summit this year is titled "Mecca Summit: Together for the Future", with the attendance of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and several heads of state from the Islamic world.

The main topics for the summit focused on the issues of Palestine, Islamophobia, countering extremism and terrorism, and the situation of Muslims around the world.

The Islamic summit drew political figures and heads of state from countries spanning Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

A priority work

During the opening speech, King Salman highlighted that the Palestinian issue remains a priority of the OIC's work.

"We reaffirm our unequivocal rejection of any measures that would affect the historical and legal status of Jerusalem," he said.

The OIC summit said in its final statement on Saturday that it condemned any position adopted by an international body that supports prolonging occupation of Palestinian territories, including a US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

It urged member countries to take "appropriate measures" against countries that move their embassies to Jerusalem.

The OIC stressed the importance of amassing support for the budget of the Palestinian government to continue its work.

The OIC also refused to accept any proposal for peaceful settlement that did not accord with Palestinians' legitimate inalienable rights, the final statement said.

The statement comes as US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, prepares to roll out economic aspects of his long-awaited Middle East peace plan at a conference in Bahrain later this month.

In a letter published online on Friday, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Muslim leaders should not let the importance of Palestinian statehood be "marginalized" in the face of the Trump administration's forthcoming Israeli-Palestinian plan.

Rouhani also noted in the letter he was not invited to the Islamic summit, but expressed Iran's readiness to work with all Muslim leaders to confront the White House's so-called Deal of the Century.

Palestinians have cut off all contacts with the Trump administration after the president broke with decades of bipartisan policy to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017.

XINHUA - AFP - REUTERS