Turkey's PM calls for Muslim unity

ISTANBUL

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called for a common attitude against troubles facing the Muslim world.

Delivering an opening speech at the 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul on Thursday, Davutoglu said:

“Despite differences of opinion, we need to maximize political relations and improve bilateral contacts in maturity so we can discuss all problems in the Muslim world.”

The prime minister said the OIC should improve efficiency in the areas where Muslim minorities have met difficulties and felt alone.

“The most important indicator which would show the effectiveness of the OIC is protecting Muslim minorities and liberating occupied lands such as Palestine, Karabakh and Crimea,” Davutoglu said.

Turkey is hosting the OIC summit for the first time since the body’s inception in 1969. It will lead the bloc for the next two years.

Davutoglu also warned that some Muslim countries were confronted with the problem of separatism: “We need to compose a principled attitude against the risk of dismemberment of some states.”

Before the opening speech, Davutoglu held separate meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanese PM Tammam Salam and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain.