Islamic Countries Call for Promotion of Economic CooperationSenior officials from Islamic countries called Saturday for greater efforts to enhance economic cooperation.The officials made the call during the 17th session of the the Economic and Commercial Cooperation Permanent Committee (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), held in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul. Speaking on behalf of the Arab countries, Syrian Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammed al Imadi said that the Arab world has taken key steps to strengthen the economic ties and that Syria has applied for the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Imadi condemned the September 11 terror attacks in the U.S., saying that the Islamic countries mourn for those who died in the terror attacks and that this shows the importance Islam attaches to peace and brotherhood. On behalf of the Islamic countries in Africa, Mozambican Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Salvador Namburete said that the economic cooperation among the OIC members must be speeded up. Underlining the importance of the activities of COMCEC to strengthen the economic cooperation among OIC countries, Namburete said that the decisions taken by COMCEC should be implemented rapidly. Namburete said that tariff and non-tariff obstacles in trade among Islamic countries should be lifted. Azerbaijani Economy Minister Namik Nasrullayev, who spoke in the name of Islamic countries in Asia, said that the planned oil pipeline linking Azerbaijan's capital of Baku, Georgia's capital of Tbilisi and Turkey's Mediterranean port city of Ceyhan, and the gas pipeline linking Baku and Turkey's Eastern City of Erzurum, will contribute to regional development. |
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