TEHRAN Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said in Tehran on Tuesday that holy Qods has always been on top of the agenda of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
Speaking to reporters at Mehrabad Airport upon his return from Morocco where the OIC's Al-Qods Committee held a meeting to coordinate support for Palestine, Kharrazi said in the wake of the current developments in the region and the messages sent by President Mohammad Khatami to heads of the Islamic states the need was felt to hold the OIC meeting on holy Qods.
He said the OIC member states expressed support for Palestine and repatriation of Palestinian refugees and their right to determine their own destiny.
He added that the participants also emphasized the need that the holy Qods belongs to Palestine and the entire Muslim world and will be the capital of Palestine.
Kharrazi said the OIC member states condemned the decision made by the U.S. administration to transfer its embassy to holy Qods.
"The OIC members expressed serious support for the Palestinian cause and announced that they would support the independent government of Palestine when the Palestinians declare their statehood," Kharrazi said.
He said the Christian leaders also took part in the OIC Qods Committee. The Christian leaders made speeches and called for liberation of holy Qods from the Zionists.
He said after victory of Muslims in Lebanon, Muslim states increased their support for Palestine in the hope that such support would lead to restoration of the Palestinian rights.
The OIC held the 18th meeting of Al-Qods Committee in Agadir, Morocco on Monday.
The meeting called for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and for east Bait-ul-Moqaddas to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.
"The Al-Qods Committee calls for the resumption of peace talks based on the UN land-for-peace resolution," the committee said in a statement after their meeting.
"The committee confirms its support for the state of Palestine and its sovereignty over Al-Qods and all the holy Islamic and Christian shrines. It also confirms that Al-Qods is the capital of an independent Palestinian state," it added.
Kharrazi, who attended the meeting also touched on the liberation of Al-Qods as the most pivotal issue of the world of Islam.
The committee was formed in 1975 to help free east Bait-ul- Moqaddas from Israeli control and to preserve its Islamic and Arab heritage.
It groups Bangladesh, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Syria.
On the sidelines of the meeting Kharrazi met with Moroccan King Mohammad VI on Monday night. Morocco's king also addressed the inaugural ceremony of the 18th meeting of Qods Committee of the OIC on Monday.