After Turkish President Erdogan raised the Kashmir issue in UNGA, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Wednesday, September 20, said that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir constitutes one of the pressing challenges to the security and stability of the region. He also pointed out that stands with the Islamic peoples including the residents of the Jammu and Kashmir region.

 

 

 

This came in his speech at the meeting of the Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the sidelines of the work of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at its 78th session in New York.

 

He said that the Kingdom stands with the Islamic peoples in preserving their Islamic identity, dignity, and providing its support to the affected peoples in areas of conflict and unrest, including the residents of the Jammu and Kashmir region.

 

 

 

"Saudi Arabia is actively mediating to reduce the conflict and facilitate a peaceful solution, consistent with its unwavering support for Islamic nations", he added.

 

Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hussein Ibrahim Taha, who reviewed developments and the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, indicated that the meeting was being held in the wake of the fourth anniversary of the “illegal and unilateral measures taken in the Indian-occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir.”

 

He urges the international community to take concrete steps to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir conflict, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s efforts.

 

 

In his speech, he expressed his appreciation to the Secretary-General and members of the Contact Group for their unwavering support in the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and reviewed various human rights violations in the Indian-occupied region.

 

Prior to this, Erdogan had raised the issue of Kashmir during his address to world leaders at the high-level 78th session of the UN General Assembly session at the United Nations. This comes days after he met PM Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in Delhi. "Another development that will pave the way for regional peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia will be the establishment of a just and lasting peace in Kashmir through dialogue and cooperation between India and Pakistan," Erdogan said in his address to the General Debate on Tuesday.