Iran And Qatar Confer On Results Of OIC Meeting On Palestinians
TEHRAN (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, agreed there had been "positive" results from an OIC meeting in New York on the Middle East crisis, state radio said Wednesday.
The two men talked on the telephone Tuesday evening but the radio gave no further details on their evaluation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) ministerial meeting with the U.N. Security Council on Monday.
A five-man OIC delegation, led by Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani, conferred in private with the 15 Council members for two hours at U.N. headquarters in New York.
The delegation asked the Council to authorize the use of U.N. troops to protect Palestinian civilians from Israeli forces.
But Israel - which can count on the United States to block any action it deems as a hostile proposal in the Council - reiterated its opposition to any international presence in the Palestinian territories.
The Qatari minister said there was "frustration in the Muslims world, among over one billion Muslims" at the bloodshed which has left more than 290 people dead, most of them Palestinians killed by Israeli fire.
Iran does not recognize Israel and has welcomed the latest Intifada, or uprising, against Israel.
