The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, met yesterday at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The talks focused on the relations of cooperation between the OIC and the Republic of Indonesia. The Secretary General lauded the well-developed and historic relationships linking the OIC and Indonesia, extolling the significant role played by Indonesia in all OIC activities. For his part, the Indonesian President commended the role of the OIC, highlighting in particular its achievements since 2005. He expressed his appreciation for the reform process spearheaded by the Secretary General and the latter's efforts in strengthening cooperation, particularly in the economic field, according to a press release of the OIC. In this regard, he praised the speech Professor Ihsanoglu delivered at the 5th World Islamic Economic Forum, and his call to boost intra-OIC trade. Ihsanoglu briefed President Yudhoyono on the efforts deployed to consolidate the reform process across the board, noting that the OIC strives to implement reform in the field of human rights in pursuance of the recommendations adopted by the leaders of the Muslim world at the Extraordinary Makkah Summit held in 2005 by establishing an independent body dealing with human rights issues. The Secretary General paid tribute to the democratic experience conducted in Indonesia under the leadership of President Yudhoyono as an edifying model that could be emulated in the Muslim world. He also dwelt at length on the OIC tsunami orphans sponsorship program that benefits 25,000 victims who were orphaned by the tsunami catastrophe. --MORE
