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1. At the kind invitation of the Government of the Republic of Turkey, the 31st Session of the Islamic Conference of
Foreign Ministers entitled Session of Progress and Global Harmony was held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey, on 26-
28 Rabiulthani 1425H (14-16 June 2004).
2. The Conference was opened with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. His Excellency Ahmet Necdet Sezer,
President of the Republic of Turkey, delivered a speech in which he welcomed the Ministers and delegates
participating in the Session (Annex).
3. The three OIC regional groups then successively took the floor to respond to the speech of His Excellency the
President of the Republic of Turkey: His Excellency the Foreign Minister of Guinea for the African Group, His
Excellency the Foreign Minister of Tunisia for the Arab Group and His Excellency the Foreign Minister of Indonesia
for the Asian Group. They all expressed their deep gratitude to the government and people of the Republic of Turkey
for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to the delegates and participants as well as for the efforts
made to make the Conference a success. Based on their proposal, the Conference resolved to consider the
statement of H.E. the President of the Republic of Turkey an official document of the Conference.
4. At the beginning of the first working session, H.E. Dr. Kamal Kharrazi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of
Iran, Chairman of the 30th ICFM, delivered a speech in which he outlined the efforts that the Islamic Republic of Iran
made during the preceding of the 30th session of the ICFM to promote joint Islamic action. He commended the
Secretary General, his aides and the entire staff of the General Secretariat for their efforts to implement the
resolutions of the Islamic Conference. His Excellency, Dr. Abdelouahed Belkeziz, the Secretary General of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference then presented a full report on the OIC’s activities over the past year. (Annex
) H.E. Hamid Albar, the Foreign Minister of Malaysia in his capacity as representative of the Chair of the Tenth
Islamic Summit, and the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations also made
statements at the first working session.
5. In conformity with the recommendation of the Senior Officials’ Meeting, the Conference unanimously elected H.E.
Mr. Abdullah Gul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, as Chairman of the 31st Session of the Islamic
Conference of Foreign Ministers. It approved the composition of the Bureau as follows: Republic of Tunisia, Burkina
Faso, State of Palestine as Vice Chairmen and the Islamic Republic of Iran as Rapporteur.
6. The Conference adopted the report of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Preparatory to the current session held
in Jeddah from 20-23 Rabiul Awwal 1425H (9-12 May 2004 – annex No. ICFM/31-2004/SO/REP/FINAL). The
Conference adopted the Draft Agenda and Work Program that the SOM submitted to it).
7. After considering the reports of the Secretary General and in light of the brilliant statements made and the
constructive discussions that took place among the Ministers and Heads of Delegations at the Plenary Session and in
the Committees, the Conference adopted a number of resolutions as follows:
8. The Conference stressed the need for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories occupied
since 1967 and called for the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all occupied Palestinian territories, including
Al-Quds Al-Sharif to the 4 June 1967 borders. It also stressed the need to establish an independent Palestinian State
with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital in accordance with international resolutions on Palestine, Al Quds Al Sharif and
the Middle East, particularly Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 252 (1968), 267 (1969), 465
(1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1073 (1996), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003) and General Assembly Resolution 194 on the
Return of Palestinian Refugees, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Roadmap as published.
