Turkey to support OIC's mediation capacity activities

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday expressed "strong support" to Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) mediation capacity activities.

In a written statement, the ministry said, "The first meeting of the OIC Contact Group of Friends of Mediation, established upon the initiative of our country, took place on September 24, 2018, on the margins of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly, with the participation of Minister [Mevlut] Cavusoglu."

"Turkey attaches importance to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and mediation," the statement stressed.

The ministry also noted, "The Group was established within the framework of the Resolution entitled 'Strengthening the Mediation Capacity of the OIC,' which was proposed by Turkey and adopted in May 2018."

"Turkey undertakes leading roles both at the international and regional levels. Within this scope, as the Chair of the Summit and the Executive Committee of the OIC, Turkey contributes to the capacity building efforts of the OIC on mediation," the statement added.

Statement further asserted Turkey's support to OIC's activities in the mentioned field and said: "Spearheading mediation-related activities at the UN, OSCE and now the OIC, Turkey will maintain its strong support to strengthening the capacity of the OIC in this field, in cooperation with the OIC General Secretariat and member states."