Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, pointed out that the 3rd Extraordinary Round of the Islamic Conference will be held in Makkah on Wednesday in critical circumstances facing the Islamic nation as a result of crises.
In a speech at the outset of his regular press briefing held at Conferences Palace here today, Prince Saud said that these circumstances have very regrettably led to a state of disappointment witnessed by the Islamic nation, because of the spread of injustice, poverty, epidemics, social diseases, mis-representation and a deviant thought which prevented the nation from positively dealing with these crises and which continually placed the nation on self-defense.
Prince Saud noted that the Summit aims at restoring self-confidence to the Islamic nation and rebuilding the Islamic house to maintain the nation's interests, confront the threatening dangers and support its role in building the homeland and the Muslim man under the true Islamic principles. These principles are full of love, justice, equality and peaceful coexistence among human beings and are deemed as high ideals and noble values and meanings which have led to the spread of the Islamic civilization to form a source of enlightenment, education, knowledge and good manners as one of the important attributes of the human civilization.
This summit will have a unique method in dealing with the issues of the Islamic nation since its topics and recommendations have been prepared by an elite of Muslim scholars and jurisprudents who represent the nation's conscience, Prince Saud said.
He added that they have thankfully prepared a full report on the challenges facing the Islamic nation. The report has a future vision on dealing with these challenges in all political, developmental, social, cultural and scientific fields, the Prince said and noted that the report has been transformed into a ten-year plan to rebuild the Islamic house and enhance solidarity, to enable the nation to play a pioneering role which the nation and its message deserve.
Prince Saud affirmed that the summit's success is inevitable because of the challenges facing the Islamic nation.
He indicated that the leaders' enthusiasm calls for optimism as the nation has the reasons and factors of solidarity, progress, glory and prosperity through its adherence to the Holy Quran and Prophet's Sunnah (Traditions) as a way of life. It also has material and human capabilities to resume its enlightening role to spread the light, values of justice, call for peace, love, cooperation and fraternity among human beings.
Then Prince Saud replied to reporters' questions.
On the formation of an Islamic army, he said: "Let's enhance the Islamic solidarity. As for the matter of the army, it requires legal mechanisms of a military alliance. At present, I believe this stage cannot be implemented. In the future, we hope to perform these duties."
With regard to the Islamic Jurisprudence Assembly, Prince Saud stressed that it has a great role in bringing together Islamic ideologies and in organizing fatwa (religious edict) and its legitimacy. Its membership should have conditions relating to jurisprudence laws, behavior and position of the member. The Assembly should carry the nation's correct Islamic religion and fortify the nation against deviant and extremist thoughts which have led to the nation's differences and conflicts and the situation of deviants. "We hope that there will be a directive in the ten-year plan to be agreed by the Summit."
In regard to the reconsideration of the document of Organization of Islamic Conference, Prince Saud said that what is required is to increase the Organization's effectiveness since it has the greatest burden to perform many duties that ensure the Islamic solidarity, raise the organization's material capabilities and provide efficient workers to assist its Secretary General to carry out his duties.
The required reform of the Organization is necessary and it will be among the priorities of the ten-year plan that will be submitted to the Summit's leaders, he said.
On the topics to be discussed by the Summit, Prince Saud said that it is an extraordinary summit that will deal with the situation of the nation in general, noting that the summit's report was prepared by Muslim scholars and jurisprudents, and not by foreign ministers as it is customary.
He stressed that the Palestinian cause has been a permanent item on the summits' agendas.
Replying to a question on discussing the situation in Iraq, Prince Saud said that the Iraqi president will attend the summit. There are existing Arab efforts to continue dialogue among the Iraqi strata and to coordinate and reconcile their positions, he said and added the summit will review the topic in a way that helps the Iraqi government and advances the existing efforts in achieving peace and stability in Iraq within the framework of the national unity and territorial integrity.
With regard to the payment of financial obligations by member countries he said that it is unjust to say that the Kingdom is the only supporter for the Organization. He added that there are defaults on other countries' obligations. "We hope that after this conference all countries will settle their obligations."
Responding to a question on the Organization's new building, Prince Saud indicated that the building's foundation stone will be laid soon.
Regarding the participation of some non-Muslim presidents in the conference in the Holy City of Makkah, Prince Saud pointed out that there will be an arrangement to enable presidents to participate from Jeddah via TV communication during the delivery of speeches and discussions.
