By JEDDAH: IBRAHIM NAFFEE & P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation has welcomed a request by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to open its permanent representative office at the OIC, said Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the OIC.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday after talks with the republic’s president Dr. Dervis Eroglu, Ihsanoglu said he would discuss the matter with the organization’s host country Saudi Arabia.

The OIC chief said his organization would give priority to ending the illegitimate isolation imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and pledged OIC’s solidarity with the republic at political, economic, social and cultural levels.

However, he urged both Turkish and Greek Cypriots not to miss the opportunity for negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations in order to set up a federal system and hoped the talks would lead to a just and lasting political solution to the issue.

read more here: