JEDDAH: There is a growing need for Afghanistan to look beyond the military option in order for it to achieve durable peace, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Countries (OIC said here Thursday. At the opening session of the International Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan here attended by Burhanuddin Rabbani, Chairman of the Afghanistan High Peace Council, and about 120 participants from several countries, Ihsanoglu said the OIC has a strong commitment to national reconciliation in Afghanistan. “For restoring durable peace in Afghanistan, there is a need to look beyond the military option, which is not the way out, and there is a need for an Afghan-led reconciliation process toward a comprehensive solution,” he said. Zalmay Rasul, Afghan Foreign Minister, who led his country's delegation and the special US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman, also participated in this important round of the International Contact Group. The OIC, Ihsanoglu said, is ready to maintain its role in helping the country restore peace, security and development, adding that “with the presence of an OIC Permanent Representative in Kabul, the OIC will hopefully be more deeply engaged and more closely involved with the people and government of Afghanistan and in cooperation with other regional and international stakeholders in Afghanistan.” Ihsanoglu emphasized on the need to develop regional cooperation on issues such as fighting narcotics, cross-border crimes, terrorism, tackling the problem of refugees, development of infrastructure and trade, which would benefit regional security and development. For instance, he said, the OIC Assistance Fund for Afghanistan has so far undertaken important steps in providing humanitarian assistance particularly in health and education sectors. The OIC has also provided assistance to Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons, securing drinking water for some Afghan villages and contributing to international efforts in the field of reconstruction. He underlined that the countries in the region have clearly showed their political will to bring peace, security and lasting stability to Afghanistan and the region through a collective strategy and joint action. Adil Siraj Mirdad of the General Islamic Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Kingdom is deeply concerned with the existing state of affairs and cooperating with OIC to help in solving the challenges faced by Afghanistan. Afghanistan, he said, has full support of the Kingdom which is keen for practical solutions to achieve peace through reconciliation between different factions.
