Saudi, Turkish FMs Discuss Preparations for Emergency OIC Meeting

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
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Saudi, Turkish FMs Discuss Preparations for Emergency OIC Meeting

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held telephone talks on Saturday with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan about the upcoming Organization for Islamic Cooperation emergency meeting that will be held in Jeddah.

The meeting will address the latest Quran-burning incident in Sweden that happened on the first day of Eid al-Adha.

The FMs discussed the preparations for the meeting, cooperation over regional issues and efforts to combat Islamophobia.

On Wednesday, a man who identified himself in Swedish media as a refugee, 37, from Iraq burned a Quran outside a mosque in central Stockholm as 200 Muslims were inside the mosque.

Swedish police had authorized the protest, citing freedom of speech, after a previous decision to ban a similar protest was overturned by a Swedish court.

The act drew widespread condemnation in the Muslim world.

Saudi Arabia strongly denounced the act. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday suggested that the incident would pose another obstacle to Sweden’s bid for NATO membership.

Saudi Arabia had called for the emergency OIC meeting as its president during its current round.



Saudi Foreign Minister Receives UNRWA Commissioner-General

Saudi FM receives UNRWA Commissioner-General. (SPA)
Saudi FM receives UNRWA Commissioner-General. (SPA)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Receives UNRWA Commissioner-General

Saudi FM receives UNRWA Commissioner-General. (SPA)
Saudi FM receives UNRWA Commissioner-General. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received on Wednesday the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the strong partnership between the Kingdom and UNRWA. They also reviewed recent regional developments and the ongoing efforts to address key challenges related to these issues.
In a related context, Arab reactions continue after Israel’s publications of maps annexing parts of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs slammed Israel’s “extremist” acts that reflect Israel’s “intentions to consolidate its occupation and continue its flagrant violation of the sovereignty of those nations.”
Saudi Arabia reiterated its call for the international community to fulfill its role in halting Israel’s violations against the countries and peoples of the region.
The Kingdom emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty and borders of nations to prevent further escalation of regional crises and to support efforts aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive peace.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, also issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s maps publications, saying it “reflects a state of right-wing extremism and religious obsession prevailing within the Israeli government”.