7 OIC members back RP’s observer bid

Seven members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference have expressed support for the Philippines’ bid to be admitted as a permanent observer to the 57-nation OIC, Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said yesterday.

Ople said this expression of support was made after holding several bilateral meetings with his counterparts belonging to the OIC member states during the Non-aligned Movement summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He said Indonesia, Malaysia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iran and Nigeria all backed the Philippines’ bid as a permanent observer to the OIC.

"These OIC and NAM member countries voiced their support for the Philippines’ peace policy in Mindanao, including the final peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front," Ople added. – Efren Danao