Nazarbayev urges OIC to establish Dialogue with West

    By Azeman Ariffin
    The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has been urged to establish an open and honest dialogue between the Muslim world and the West.
    The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev said the open dialogue was needed to explain the true meaning of Islam which had nothing to do with the activities of extremist and terrorist groups, disguised under religious phraseology.
    "The Muslim world in the eyes of Western society is associated primarily with its radical part and causes unwarranted fear, despite the fact that Islam preaches universal values of kindness, tolerance and justice.
    "As is well known, those who suffer the most from terrorism are the citizens of the Islamic countries," he said in the opening speech of the 38^th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, here Tuesday.
    Nazarbayev said OIC members must to learn to confront religious fundamentalism as a political ideology.
    He said the dialogue was important at a time when extremists of various stripes sought to sow seeds of alienation in the world, to draw the world into the so-called "clash of civilizations".
    "The clash of Christian and Muslim civilizations, to which we are being pushed, can destroy the whole world. Is this not enough to stop everybody? thought should make everyone consider the significance of preserving peace and harmony," he said.
    Nazarbayev also suggested the OIC to create the e-Islam internet resources to stimulate the interest of the youths in religion and culture of Islam and spreading the Muslim spiritual values.
    "Today there is a strong onslaught of "new media" in the Internet and in this respect, I suggest creating the e-ISLAM Internet resource, which would cover the activity of our Organization, stimulating the interest of the youths in religion and culture of Islam and spreading the Muslim spiritual values", he said.
    Describing Kazakhstan as OIC's youngest member, the president said that OIC should take a proactive action to increase the competitiveness of every member state of the organization separately and the Ummah as a whole.
    "OIC countries control 70 per cent of global energy resources. However, they account for only 7.5 per cent of global GDP and 11 per cent of total volume of global trade. And this situation is totally unacceptable.
    "That is why we propose to develop an integrated strategy for economic development of the OIC member states at the Seventh World Islamic Economic Forum that took place here three weeks ago," he said.
    The president said, the Islamic world needed to break free from the vector of development based on raw materials to industrial and innovative development.
    "I propose to develop and adopt a joint Action Plan within the OIC for investment and technological cooperation in energy sector, as well as to establish an International centre for innovation.
    "The creation of support system for small and medium enterprises within the OIC is a promising direction and we propose to establish a Special Fund for small and medium businesses under the Islamic Development Bank," he added.
    The three-day OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting began Tuesday and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman is leading a Malaysian delegation consisting of officials of the ministry and its agencies.
    Malaysia will bring forth to the Council the need to enhance economic cooperation, poverty elevation, and collaboration in the field of education, science, and technology, according to Bernama.