OIC, Babacan call for resolution of Palestianian-Israeli conflict

Following a weekend meeting by the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia focusing on the Mideast issue, an OIC declaration meeting condemned recent actions by Israel. Reading out the declaration, OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu a Turkish scholar, said that Israel was responsible for the ongoing deplorable situation on the Gaza Strip. The declaration urged the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and the pre-1967 borders. In addition, speaking at the gathering, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said the conflict between Israel and Palestine was the basic reason for many problems in the region, adding that their issues could be resolved through negotiations.