Australia hails OIC, pledges more cooperation

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Saturday expressed his country’s appreciation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu on the support which the several members offered for Australia as it was elected a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. In a message to Ihsanoglu delivered by Australia’s special envoy to OIC Ahmed Nour, Carr said his country’s government acknowledges OIC’s significant global role, and will always work to expand bilateral cooperation. Carr stressed his support for enhancing cooperation between Australia, the Security Council and other organizations including OIC regarding international peace and security. The Australian official also reiterated his country’s support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspirations of establishing an independent state. Australia abstained from the U.N. General Assembly’s recent vote, which granted Palestine an observer nonmember status at the international organization.