IRAN PRESIDENT TO ARRIVE IN CAIRO FOR 12TH OIC SUMMIT

Cairo, 25 Rabiul Awwal 1434/6 February 2013 (MINA) – Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due to arrive in Egypt’s capital, Cairo, to attend the 12th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

        Heading a political delegation, Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in Cairo on Tuesday (5/1), according to Press TV report received by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).
       Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi invited Ahmadinejad to attend the summit, which is slated for February 2-7. During the summit, Egypt will take over the presidency of the OIC for the next three years.
        Director for International Affairs at the Presidential Office Mohammad-Reza Forqani said on January 23 that the Iranian president would take part in the summit in his capacity as the rotating chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which comprises nearly two-thirds of the member states of the UN General Assembly.
       Ahmadinejad will meet with the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb and the heads of several Egyptian media.
       Iran severed ties with Egypt after Cairo signed the 1978 Camp David Accord with Israel and offered asylum to Iran’s deposed monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. However, Iran and Egypt resumed bilateral ties after the Egyptian revolution in February 2011 which led to the ouster of Egypt’s former dictator, Hosni Mubarak.
        Morsi visited Iran for the 16th NAM summit in August 2012, which was the first trip by an Egyptian president to Tehran since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

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The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization ensuring to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.

The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) as a result of criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

The 12th summit is discussing various themes including the review of all ways and means to strengthen economic cooperation and political consultation between the members of the Organization, the fight against all acts prejudicial to religions and religious symbols and the Israeli colonization of occupied Al Quds (Jerusalem).(T/P03/E1)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)