HIGHLIGHTS

• Qureshi said that it would not be possible for him to attend OIC meeting where Sushma Swaraj was present
• Qureshi also said that he has spoken to the UAE minister and apprised him of Pakistan’s reservations
• Meanwhile, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s plans are on schedule

Amid tension and threats of boycott, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would be skipping the inaugural session of the 46th Council of Ministers’ Meet of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperaton (OIC) since the ‘Guest of Honour’ is India, but has decided to attend the rest of the conference, India Today TV has learnt through reliable sources.

Pakistan had threatened to boycott the entire conference after lodging a strong protest in a letter to OIC Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.

Qureshi, in his letter said, “Under the current circumstances, it will not be possible for me to attend OIC meeting where Sushma Swaraj is present.”

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s plans are on schedule. She will arrive in Abu Dhabi in the intermittent night of Thursday and Friday and would be addressing the inaugural session of the plenary on Friday morning after which there are bilateral meetings lined up for her with many of her counterparts from Islamic nations.

Qureshi said, “India is neither a member of OIC nor an observer. I have spoken to the UAE minister and apprised him of Pakistan’s reservations and told him that he should have spoken to us before inviting Swaraj.”

source: India Today

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen emphasised that given India’s massive Muslim population, she should be a part of the OIC.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Momen said that Pakistan should emulate what India and Bangladesh have done as neighbours
• There was much talk about Pakistan’s absence at ministerial level at the conference
• There was a bilateral meeting that was held between the foreign ministers of Bangladesh and India

Bangladesh on Friday welcomed the decision of inviting India as ‘Guest of Honour’ at the 46th Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers held in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen emphasised that given India’s massive Muslim population, she should be a part of the OIC. “India is a land of cultural, religious diversity and of tolerance. 1.85 million Muslims live in India so obviously they should be part of the OIC”, he said.

There was much talk about Pakistan’s absence at ministerial level at the conference. When asked, the Bangladeshi minister called it “unfortunate” and told Pakistan to “look beyond”.

He said that Pakistan should emulate what India and Bangladesh have done as neighbours.

“That is very unfortunate. I think it is time to look beyond. We should be mature. The relationship between Bangladesh and India has reached a height of maturity which other people should imitate”, he said.

There was a bilateral meeting that was held between the foreign ministers of Bangladesh and India where all issues of convergences and differences were discussed. Bangladesh raised the issue of the Rohingya.

Momen also stressed on the need for “connectivity” in the economic sphere.

“Economic is the other aspect. Connectivity is productivity. We have a long tradition of relationship of trust and confidence. We have opened up our borders and solved many major problems. Discussed new avenues of economic partnership”, he said regarding the meeting with EAM Sushma Swaraj.

source: India Today