The Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegations of Member-States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), participants of the 45thSession of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC held in Dhaka, on 5-6 May 2018, under the theme "Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace and Development", affirmed the commitment of the Member States to the principles and objectives enshrined in "the Charter of the OIC" and "OIC-2025 Program of Action" and, in particular, the relevant provisions seeking to promote and enhance the bonds of unity and solidarity among the Member States and with Muslim Minorities and Communities. The statement noted the prevailing peace and security as well as development challenges including the growing tensions and instability in parts of the world and in particular the Muslim world, aggravated by long standing unresolved conflicts, manifestations of intolerance and deliberate attempts to tarnish a sacred religion, its symbols and stereotype its adherents. Dhaka Declaration appreciated the initiative of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to host the 45th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC and its choice for a theme based on its conviction for the need of a new paradigm rooted in the well tested Islamic values that would restore sustainable peace and development in the Member States through Joint Islamic actions. The statement expressed its profound satisfaction that after over four decades of its establishment, the OIC as the overarching multilateral body of the Muslim world, has continued to raise its profile and visibility at the international level and has become a strategic dialogue partner in the maintenance of international peace and security as well as countering emerging challenges and threats across the OIC space. The declaration reaffirmed the commitment to respect the security, sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of the Member-states, as well as the need to resolve lingering or emerging disputes and conflicts through negotiations, mediation, conciliation and the use of other peaceful means using political, diplomatic and international legal mechanisms based on the universally recognized principles and norms of international law. It also called for the full activation of the OIC Peace and Security architecture and the Good Offices of the Secretary-General. The statement emphasized the centrality of the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds for the Islamic Nation and reaffirmed its principled support for the right of the Palestinian people to regain their inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, and to the independence and sovereignty of the State of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds as its capital, as well as the right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in accordance with international law and UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (III). It also reaffirmed the rejection of the United States' recent recognition of Jerusalem (Al-Quds) as the capital of Israel and condemned its decision to move its Embassy to the city, considering this planned action as illegal and in clear defiance of international law and the international community's collective will. In accordance with the provisions of the final Communique of the OIC Extraordinary Summit, the Dhaka Declaration held the US Administration fully responsible for all the consequences of its illegal move, which contributes to further aggravating the conflict and emboldening the occupying power's impunity. It reiterated that this move invalidates that American Administration's claimed role of peace broker. --More 18:46 LOCAL TIME 15:46 GMT 0020 www.spa.gov.sa/1760162
