GRP bid for OIC observe status: Rejected? Accepted? Deferred?

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/25 May) – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) says the Philippine bid for observer status in the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was not considered by the pan-Islamic body during the 36th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) in Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic, on May 23 to 25, a claim the government peace panel chair disputes.

Quoting MILF representatives who are attending the ICFM, Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace panel, told MindaNews they received word Sunday that the Philippines’ bid was not considered and that the objection was spearheaded by Turkey with support from Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iran.

The government has been applying for an observer status in the OIC for nearly a decade now. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has been sitting as observer since 1977.

Iqbal quoted the MILF representatives as saying the OIC bid by the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) was “strongly and openly supported by Indonesia, seconded by Iraq and Bahrain.”

But Seguis said the “MILF propaganda versus GRP is premature.”

“Contrary to MILF’s claim, practically all OIC member states welcome GRP’s admission as observer. Some of them, however, would like to defer admission on procedural basis, reason being that rules for observer status under new Islamic charter have not been adopted yet while many others want to admit GRP now,” Seguis told MindaNews.

He added this was “discussed in the special political committee last Saturday and will be decided in plenary this morning.”

“I will show the Mindanao Examiner article to delegations of member states that MILF propagandists claimed have opposed GRP’s bid this morning for they have told us the contrary,” Seguis said.

Seguis told MindaNews “the following member states of OIC announced their support for and admission of GRP as observer in the Plenary: Malaysia, UAE, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Libya, Brunei.”

MindaNews followed up the matter with Seguis at 7 p.m. Manila time but Seguis, who is still in Damascus, has yet to answer. (Late Monday evening told MindaNews through SMS: “GRP’s bid for observer status was deferred due to technicality despite the support and endorsement of considerable number of OIC member-states. Some member-states, while also endorsing GRP’s admission, wanted the criteria for observer-status to be approved first before a decision is taken on the application by the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Damascus.”).

The OIC in the 1970s initially tasked a Committee of Four which later became Six then Eight, to oversee the government-Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) peace negotiation and its aftermath.

The Committee of the Eight headed by Indonesia has for its members, Bangladesh, Brunei, Libya, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Somalia.

In 2007, the OIC expanded the Committee of the Eight into an 11-country “Peace Committee” along with Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan as chair of the ICFM. Syria now chairs the ICFM.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Syria on May 3 and 4 this year, citing its “crucial role” in negotiating peace with the MILF.

“Peace is always an essential element of our commitment to the nation, particularly when it comes to bringing peace and stability to Southern Philippines. To achieve lasting peace in Mindanao will require the collective efforts of the Philippine Government and friends and allies around the world. That is why this state visit to Syria is so important,” Ms Arroyo said.

A report from the Office of the Press Secretary said the Philippines was bidding for an observer status in the OIC ”as part of its efforts to get back on track the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.”

“Our government has been working hard to reach a peace agreement in Mindanao. A vital ingredient is the vital role that Muslim nations will play in bringing peace and investing in reconstruction,” the President said.

To attain peace and progress in Mindanao, the President said the Philippine government has been enlisting the support of Muslim nations such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, as well as other OIC-member states.

Early this month, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expressed his support for the Philippines’ bid for OIC observer status, during his one-on-one meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Presidential Headquarters here on May 3.

“Due to our good relations with them, Egypt fully supports not only the Philippines’ seeking a seat at the OIC but will also ask other OIC members such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Libya and Indonesia, among others, to support the Philippines’ bid,” Romulo said.

The OIC has 57 member-states. It also has five observer-states: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Kingdom of Thailand, The Russian Federation and Turkish Cypriot State.

The Russian Federation was accepted as observer-state in 2005. The Philippines’ bid for observer status was much earlier than Russia’s.

The other observers are five from the international organizations: United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, League of Arab States, African Union and Economic Cooperation Organization; two Islamic organizations: Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member-States and the Islamic Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation; and the lone observer from “Muslim Communities/Organization,” the Moro National Liberation Front. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6430&Itemid=75