OIC supports Iran’s quest to go nuclear Saturday, 17 February 2007 01:00

Kuala lumpur • Lawmakers from member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday backed Iran’s nuclear programme, at a meeting in the Malaysian capital. Kuala lumpur • Lawmakers from member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday backed Iran’s nuclear programme, at a meeting in the Malaysian capital.
“(The OIC) requests the full respect for equal and inalienable rights for all nations to explore modern technologies including nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” the lawmakers declared at the end of their gathering.
Last year, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution imposing sanctions that target Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Western countries backed the sanctions, fearing Iran could use uranium enrichment activities to develop nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its programme is for peaceful purposes, vowed to expand its enrichment.
Meanwhile, western and developing nations broadly accept a UN nuclear agency plan to cut almost half its aid projects in Iran, diplomats say. The plan, to cut technical aid projects based on a review by International Atomic Energy Agency experts, must be approved at a March 5-9 meeting of the agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors.
Lawmakers urged the Security Council to take immediate steps to stop continuing Israeli excavations that furious Muslims worldwide say endanger the Al Aqsa mosque site, Islam’s third holiest site.
“We call on the UN Security Council to take immediate measures to halt the excavation operations by Israeli occupation authorities,” the 27-page declaration said. Israel denies the work poses any risk to the holy site.
Other issues in the declaration were security situations and continuing crises in Iraq, Darfur, Sudan and Somalia. Lawmakers condemned all terrorist acts against the Iraqi people and backed the government’s attempt to develop its own security and armed forces in anticipation of the “evacuation” of multinational forces from Iraqi soil.

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