Final Communique Adopted by The 13th Session of the PUIC Conference

Tehran – Islamic Republic of Iran
28 - 29 Rabi ul Thani 1439h
16 – 17 January 2018

We, Speakers, Heads and Members of Delegations of the PUIC Member Parliaments participating in the proceedings of the 13th Session of the PUIC Conference held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran on 28 - 29 Rabi Al-Thani 1439 H corresponding to 16 - 17 January 2018, have deliberated on the developments and challenges facing the Muslim World as included in the Agenda of the Session, and have resolved as follows:

FIRST: PALESTINIAN CAUSE

1.    Emphasize that the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds lies at the core of the concerns of the Islamic Ummah, and stress the importance of the city of Al-Quds as the capital of the independent  State of Palestine and the home of the third of the holy sites of Islam, considering it thus as a red line which cannot be crossed,  until the realization of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, namely the return of refugees, liberation from occupation, and the establishment of the independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds as its capital.

2.    Re-emphasize that the city of Al-Quds is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories -as stated in Security Council Resolutions No. 242 of 1967 and 338 of 1973- to which the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 is applicable, as provided in several UN Security Council Resolutions; strongly condemn the occupation authorities for their repeated violations of the holy sites in the city of Al-Quds, by building the separation wall and settlements, as well as their continued excavation works underneath the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which would undermine its pillars and might cause its collapse. Also denounce the Zionist Entity’s illegal measures and practices carried out –in violation of all international resolutions and laws- by the occupations authorities in the city of Al-Quds, with a view to judaizing the Holy city and obliterating the identity ot its Arab and Islamic landmarks.

3.    Strongly reject the plan by the Zionist entity (Israel) to declare the occupied City of Al Quds as the capital of the Zionist entity and of the Jewish People; a plan that constitutes a direct aggression on the Palestinian people and their established and inalienable rights; and categorically reject all Israeli assertions about “The Greater Al-Quds” and any other proposals to resolve the issue of Al-Quds by placing it under international mandate.

4.    Condemn and categorically and incontestably reject the decision taken by the Head of the US Administration, Donald Trump, on Al-Quds considered as a grave aggression against the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and as a null measure that exacerbates tention, fuels anger, and threatens to lead the region towards further violence and anarchy; support the efforts of the Palestinian leadership, particularly President Mahmoud Abbas, and the efforts of the Palestinian factions and powers, in their unwavering position against the US decision and Israeli occupation.

5.    Commend the convening Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference on 13 December 2017 in Istanbul upon the invitation of His Excellency President Recepy Tayyip Erdogan, the President of the Republic of Turkey and welcome the Final Communiqué of the Summit.

6.    Commend the UN General Assembly Resolution A/ES-10/L.22 adopted on 21 December 2017, which condemns the Head of the US Administration’s decision to recognize the city of Al-Quds as the capital of the Zionist entity (Israel) and to relocate the US Embassy thereto; and call upon the international community to continue efforts to implement the resolution away from the US veto within the UNSC.

7.    Reaffirm that resistance, in all its forms, is a legitimate right, until the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, particularly the right to return and the right to establish the independent Palestinian State on the territory of Palestine, with Al-Quds as its capital, are realized

8.    Affirm that defending Palestine and Al-Quds is the duty and responsibility of every Muslim and every Arab; and call for supporting the third uprising (intifada) of the Palestinian people with all the means available in the Muslim world.

9.    Call on our OIC Member States which have political or economic relations with the Zionist entity (Israel) to freeze those relations, so that the US Administration goes back on its wrong decision on Al-Quds.

10.    Reject categorically all attempts to relocate embassies accredited to the Zionist entity (Israel) to the city of Al-Quds, considering these attempts illegitimate, void and inconsistent with the legal status of the city of Al-Quds as an integral part of the Arab occupied territories, as stipulated in the UNSC resolutions, particularly Resolution 478 (1980).

11.    Call for accelerating the process of implementing the Palestinian reconciliation agreement, so that national unity will be strengthened and all forces mobilized to address threats to the Cause of Palestine.

12.    Urge States that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to assume their historical responsibility toward the Palestinian people and toward their right to establish their independent sovereign State; and call on the UNSC to take the measures necessary to grant the State of Palestine full UN membership.

13.    Call for convening an international conference as soon as possible to address Israeli occupation and find a just solution to the Palestinian issue leading to the establishment of the independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds as its capital, within the borders of the 4th of June 1967, and according to a specified timetable.

14.    Commend the initiative of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on considering the year 2017 the International Year to End the Israeli Occupation of the Palestinian Territory; call on OIC Member States to urge the United Nations to adopt this initiative and endeavor to implement it; declare our rejection of the so-called ‘deal of the century” aimed at annihilating the Palestinian cause; and praise the role of Egypt in sponsoring the file of the reconciliation among the Palestinian factions and call it to open Rafah cross point permanently to facilitate the entry of relief assistance and put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian citizens.

15.    Commend the UN Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2334, dated 23/12/2016, which affirmed the illegality of Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian occupied territories and the obligation to immediately and completely halt all settlement activities carried out by the Zionist entity (Israel) in the occupied territories including Al Quds.

16.    Urges states that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine –particularly European States- to follow the example of Sweden and the Vatican and assume their historical responsibility toward the Palestinian people and their right to establish a sovereign and independent State; call on the UNSC to approve the granting of full UN membership to the State of Palestine; and urge Western Parliaments which have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to follow the example of those who have taken this measure.

17.    Affirm our categorical rejection of the “Jewishness of the State of Israel”; and strongly support the stance of the Palestinian people and leadership refusing to recognize the Jewishness of the Hebrew State.

18.    Request the Governments of our Member Parliaments to guard against the Zionist entity’s attempts to hold conferences and pay visits to States in Africa, in a bid to infiltrate the structure of the Islamic system, and appeal to our States to take action in order to thwart these Zionist attempts.

19.    Call for lifting the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people, especially on the Gaza Strip; Call also for supporting the steadfastness of Al-Quds inhabitants and for serious action to ensure the release of the administrative detainees and prisoners; and Condemn the Zionist Israeli criminal practices of torturing, isolating and humiliating them; and demand their immediate release.

20.    Condemn the continuous crimes perpetrated by the Israeli occupation authorities in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, which claimed the lives of and caused injury to thousands of innocent people, in a blatant violation of Palestinian human rights; demand the prosecution of the Zionist Israeli officials for all the war crimes they have committed in the Gaza Strip and in all other Palestinian occupied territories; denounce the continuing policies of isolating and blockading the Palestinian people, and the Zionist Israeli repressive measures such as murder, demolition of houses, bulldozing lands, settlement construction and construction of the racist separation wall; call for large-scale actions to end the blockade; and request to expedite the reconstruction of the Strip and eliminate the consequences of the barbaric Israeli aggression in its landmarks.

21.    Confirm our strong condemnation of coercive detentions, including administrative detentions carried out by the authorities of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, including members of the Legislative Council, women and children such as Ahd Al-Tamimi; and call on the international community to act seriously in order to compel the Zionist entity (Israel) to release those remaining under detention; and request also the IPU to end the membership of the Knesset as punishment for of the Israeli entity’s violations of international law.

22.    Support the accession of the State of Palestine to all international agreements and organizations, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice, which would hold the Zionist entity (Israel) accountable for its crimes, and provide protection to the Palestinian people and to their land and private and public property; and Denounce all punitive measures taken by the Zionist Entity (Israel) and by any other State, as a result of such a legitimate step.

23.    Strongly condemn the refusal of the Zionist Entity (Israel) to allow the UNESCO’s technical mission to investigate attacks on Holy places in the old Al-Quds, denounce the Zionist Israeli attempts aimed at usurping and Judaizing the Palestinian heritage as well as falsifying the history of Palestine, particularly the decision to include the Holy Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Al Khalil (Hebron) and Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque in Bethlehem and the villages of Bettir and Lefta in the list of its heritage; Call, in this regard, the UNESCO to implement the resolutions adopted by its Executive Council (186th session) concerning Palestinian historical and cultural sites, in order to prevent the Zionist entity (Israel) from destroying the Palestinian heritage; and warn that the Zionist Israeli attempts to legalize its null procedures in the occupied territories carries the risk of causing the situation in the region to explode and rekindling religious conflict in the area for which Zionist entity (Israel) should be fully responsible; call on the international community to curb the Zionist Entity (Israel) and to compel it to halt its serious aggressions and disregard of peace and security in the region.

24.    Request the managers of the funds created for Al-Quds to operationalize them in support for the steadfastness of Al-Quds people and reinforce their settlement in their city; appeal to the peoples and governments of the Muslim Ummah to demonstrate further solidarity to confront the Israeli arrogance and the occupation authorities’ express disregard of the historical, cultural, and religious rights of the Palestinian people; call for the execution of the projects that enhance the steadfastness of the Holy city, its people and institutions; call for supporting all the initiatives and the commendable actions carried out by various bodies, in particular the OIC Al-Quds Committee, and its financial and field arm “Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency”; and recommend the revival of the Islamic waqf for Al-Quds "Waqf Al Quds Al Sharif" as it was under the crusaders’ occupation, with a view to reinforcing the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land with all available means.

25.    Affirm support for the role of the Hashemite Kingdom through the historical Hashemite guardianship, as custodian of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Al-Quds, and for the consistent position of the Jordanian Awqaf Department on preserving the sanctity of the holy shrine and its historical status as a place of worship for all Muslims.

26.    Call on all UN Member States to refrain from any form of cooperation and coordination with the Zionist Israeli occupation authorities as regards al-Quds city, including the signing of agreements that could have an impact on the political and legal status of the Holy City.

27.    Call for activating the decisions banning any dealings with the Zionist entity (Israel) and requiring non-violation of boycott laws, and rejecting normalization with this entity whatever form it takes.
28.    Reject any attempts to cancel financial support for the UNRWA, knowing that the United States and the Zionist entity endeavor to combine the file of Palestinian refugees with the file of the HCR with the objective of diluting the issue and deprive Palestinian refugees’ case of its specificity which cannot be compared to any of the modern history’s cases of occupation; call for increasing this support in the next phase to be able to discharge the major responsibilities towards Palestinian refugees in general.; and recommend the establishment of a financial safety network to enable the UNRWA to perform its duties towards the refugees until their return to their homes.

SECOND: OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES IN SYRIA AND LEBANON

29.    Praise the steadfastness of the Syrian and the Lebanese citizens, and commend their holding onto their land and identity as well as their resistance to the Zionist Israeli occupation; strongly condemn the decision of the Zionist entity (Israel) to impose its laws and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan and its non-compliance with international resolutions, especially the UN Security Council Resolution No. 497 of 1981; emphasize the nullity and illegality of the Zionist Israeli decisions in this regard; also Condemn the Zionist Israeli threats against Lebanon and the Zionist Israeli provocative military maneuvers on the borders of Lebanon, as well as the repeated air and sea violations; and demand that the Zionist Israeli occupation of Shebaa Farms, Kafarshouba Hills and the Lebanese section of Al-Gajar village be ended, as it runs counter to the UN Security Council Resolution No. 1701, with all available means, particularly the heroic national resistance.

30.    Strongly condemn the Zionist entity (Israel) for its persistence in changing the legal character, demographic setup and institutional structure of the occupied Syrian Golan, and for its policies and practices as represented especially in usurping lands and water resources, building and expanding settlements and transferring settlers to these areas, and strongly condemn the repeated Zionist Israeli aggressive violations of the Syrian air space and aggression on Syrian sovereignty through attacking some positions inside Syrian territories, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the international law and the UN Charter, and endangers regional stability as well as international peace and security, and hold the Zionist Entity (Israel) fully responsible for these flagrant violations.
31.    Emphasize the right of Lebanon to its oil and gas resources, within its maritime territory and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as per the maps endorsed by the Lebanese Government and deposited with the United Nations; and support Lebanon’s rejection of the geographical coordinates deposited by the Zionist entity (Israel) with the United Nations concerning the northern part of the territorial waters and the EEZ which the Zionist Entity (Israel) claims that they belong to it.

THIRD:    PROTECTION OF ROHINGYA MUSLIMS OF MYANMAR

32.    Condemn the ongoing systematic brutal acts perpetrated against the Rohingya Muslim Community in Myanmar, which constitute a serious and blatant violation of international law and international human rights conventions; particularly denounce the involvement of security forces and Buddhist militias in these acts of killing since August 25, 2017, forced displacement of over 65000 Rohingya Muslims which still continues from Rakhine State in Myanmar to Bangladesh, adding with those 400,000 making the figure more than a million staying in Bangladesh, in addition to the burning of their houses and places of worship; call upon the Government of Myanmar to honor its obligations under International Law and Human Rights covenants, and to take all measures to immediately and unconditionally halt ethnic cleansing, dispersion and discriminatory practices against Rohingya Muslims, as well as the continuous attempts to obliterate their Islamic culture and identity; and call upon the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to continue their efforts together with those of the international community and the UN in order to ensure sustainable return of forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims to their ancestral homeland, Rakhine State of Myanmar (Arakan) in safety, security and dignity, and with full might of citizenship and ensured livelihood, creation of safe zones inside Myanmar under UN supervision and full implementation of the recommendations of Kofi Anan Commission.

33.    Mandate the General Secretariat to follow up the dispatch of a PUIC delegation to Bangladesh to visit forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar sheltered in Bangladesh to take stock of their conditions and consider the possibility of extending humanitarian aid to them.

34.    Request the UN Security Council to conduct an international independent investigation on the killings, violation of freedoms, and displacement of the Muslim minority in Myanmar; and to file a criminal case with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

35.    Call on the Government of Myanmar to take concrete measures as proposed by the European Parliament resolution, and to be committed to cooperating with the international community in order to put an end to this wave of violence and human rights violations, and the Rohingya Muslims’ loss of their identity and underline the need to allow them to recover their nationality through reviewing the exclusionary nationality law enacted by Myanmar, and to take urgent measures in order to allow Rohingya Muslims –who have been displaced internally and externally- to return on a permanent basis to their homes in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, while guaranteeing their means of livelihood.

36.    Urge the authorities in Myanmar to provide economic opportunities for the Rohingya people that have suffered deprivation all along their history, in order to achieve a balanced socioeconomic development in the Rakhin State, and defuse tension among communities.

37.    Expresses deep concern over the massive flow of forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar into Bangladesh and the ensuing security and economic repercussions on the country, and urges all OIC Member States to provide the necessary material assistance to Bangladesh to address this flow of Rohingya Muslims into its land.

38.    Emphasize the need to pressure Authorities in Myanmar to work promptly on providing and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected Rohingya Muslims.

FOUTRTH:    COMBATING INTOLERANCE, ISLAMOPHOBIA AND XENOPHOBIA

39.    Affirm that there are established international legal rules and customs stipulating that the right to freedom of expression should be exercised with responsibility and that it should not cause prejudice to the beliefs and sanctities of others, and call for revitalizing dialogue among religions and civilizations with a view to promoting the spirit of tolerance among the followers of divine religions.

40.    Call on all States to prohibit incitement to religious discrimination, hostility and abuse of Islam, through taking administrative and legal measures that ban defamation and make it legally punishable.

41.    Call on the United Nations to adopt an international legal instrument criminalizing abuse of divine religions and slandering Messengers and Prophets, in order to ensure peaceful coexistence of different views, and recommend to the OIC Member States to continue their endeavor at the UN for the purpose of achieving this aim.

42.    Call for implementing the Strategy to Combat Islamophobia adopted by the 11th Islamic Summit, and for the necessity to accelerate the pace of implementing the resolution related to the establishment of an “international legally-binding instrument to prevent intolerance, discrimination, impartiality and hatred on the basis of religion”.

43.    Take note of Resolution No. 18/16 adopted by the 16th session of the UN Human Rights Council, on “Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief”; and support the Istanbul Process that aim at guaranteeing the implementation of this resolution, which has so far proved success in crystallizing a common understanding to fight religion-based intolerance.

44.    Condemn in the strongest terms the racist comments occasionally made by the US President targeting colored peoples, and associating the Islamic religion with global terrorism; and note with deep concern that such a psychological state will fuel conflict and misunderstanding among peoples, religions and civilizations

FIFTH: COMBATING TERRORISM AND EXTREMISM

45.    Emphasize the responsibility of all States as regards refraining from using or threatening to use violence and violent extremism against the territorial integrity of other states or their political independence, and encourage Member Parliaments to pay more attention to combating terrorism and violent extremism with all means, including addressing the root causes as well as enhancing moderation, coexistence, and dialogue.

46.    Strongly denounce all terrorist actions, means and practices, in all forms and manifestations, including state terrorism, considered as inexcusable criminal actions wherever they are committed and whoever committed them; and Urge to dry up the sources of terrorism and to prevent its financing.

47.    Stress the need to combat all forms of radical and extremist discourse in order to delegitimize acts of violence committed in the name of religion, ideology or alleged cultural supremacy.

48.    Emphasize the inevitability of separating between terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and the right of states and peoples to resistance and armed struggle against foreign occupiers and colonizers in order to liberate their homelands and recover their legitimate rights guaranteed by the UN Charter and all international agreements and conventions, considered as an inherent right of peoples under occupation, and recommend to the OIC to set up a legal committee to be tasked with reviewing the concept of terrorism and defining the controls which distinguish terrorist actions from other actions, so that the views of the committee shall be a reference in this field.

49.    Strongly condemn terrorist actions which have targeted researchers, scientists, and university lecturers as well as vital installations in a number of Islamic countries.

50.    Condemn in the strongest terms all acts of terrorism and violence perpetrated by Daesh, Boko Haram Jabhat Al Nusrah, the PKK and the other terrorist groups registered in the UN lists; we also condemn its ideology of violence and violent extremism, and emphasize that what Deash is doing cannot, and must not, be linked to any religion, nationality or civilization or a state; and demand supporting the countries targeted by the terrorism of Daesh and all terrorist organizations in the face of this scourge.

51.    Denounce in the strongest terms all terrorist acts perpetrated in a number of Islamic countries and world countries, which left many victims, including martyrs and injured people, and caused serious damage to properties; and express our full solidarity with the families of victims and the injured.

52.    Emphasize the need to take sustained measures to prevent the financing of terrorism and eradicate this activity, and to criminalize the deliberate provision and -direct or indirect- collection of funds by their citizens or on their territories with the intention to use these funds -or knowledge that they will be used - for terrorist acts.

53.    Strongly denounce the comprehensive and systematic destruction of the antiquities of Iraq and Syria, especially in Mosul, and the demolition by Daesh terrorist group of historical sites which constitute the property of the entire humanity, and demand the return of the antiquities stolen from Iraq and Syria and smuggled to other countries.

54.    Strongly condemn the violent coup attempt against the Constitution, President, Government, Parliament and Government of Turkey and its people, perpetrated on 15 July 2016 by an armed faction and their civilian collaborators belonging to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), and invite the States of the member Parliaments to take the all necessary measures against the entities, groups, institutions and individuals affiliated to FETO, and to cooperate with Turkey to this end.

55.    Call for convening an international counter-terrorism conference during which a global definition of terrorism will be adopted by consensus.

SIXTH: REJECTING THE UNJUST SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON MUSLIM COUNTRIES

56.    Strongly reject the principle of imposing any kind of sanctions on any people, especially Islamic peoples, whether unilateral or multilateral, on any Islamic state, express our strong support for these states; call for cancelling these sanctions and condemn their continuation due to their negative impacts on the social and humanitarian activities of the peoples of these states as well as their socio-economic development.

57.    Welcome the Council of Human Rights resolution providing for appointment of an international Rapporteur concerning unilateral sanctions, and calls on the Islamic States to cooperate with him in carrying out his mission aimed at exposing the negative effects of such unilateral sanctions on citizens.

58.    Affirm that the adoption of the ‘Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act’ (JASTA) by the US Congress is a matter of serious concern for the international community, and contradicts the principles of the UN Charter which are based on respect for the principle of equality and sovereignty and sovereign immunity of states, as well as the established rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the respect on sovereignty and the primacy of the International Law over the Local Law, since 1949, and the UN Convention on the immunities of states and their properties from juridical competence, which was adopted as per the UN General Assembly Resolution No.38/59 of December 2004. Stress that the act would impact negatively inter-State relations including those with the USA; and express hope that wisdom would prevail and that the US Congress would take the necessary steps to avoid the dire and serious repercussions of implementing this Act.

SEVENTH:     ACCESS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGIES FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES, AND MAKING THE MIDDLE EAST A ZONE FREE FROM ALL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY NUCLEAR WEAPONS

59.    Emphasize the right of all countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in accordance with the NPT.

60.    Express our utmost rejection of the continuous growth of the Zionist Israeli nuclear capabilities and threats and confirm the necessity of compelling the Zionist Entity (Israel) to open its nuclear facilities and programs to monitoring and inspection in accordance with the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as the necessity of the Zionist Israeli accession to the NPT and vacating the Middle East region from weapons of mass destruction, as this constitutes a basis for security and stability in the Middle-East and enables avoidance of double standards in international interaction and call for further cooperation and coordination among the states of the member parliaments in international conferences which are held to review this matter.

61.    Stress the need to maintain the nucleal agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the 5+1 Group, and call on all the parties to the agreement to honor the obligations and commitments stated therein.  

62.    Condemn strongly the illegal hostile sanctions imposed by the US President against Iran to undermine the nuclear deal.

EIGHTH: IRAQ

63.    Stress commitment to preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq against any abuse or aggression, and congratulate its armed forces on the victories which they have achieved in their war against the forces of terrorism and extremism which wreaked havoc in the country, which culminated in liberating Iraqi cities from the filth of terrorist bands, particularly Daesh and in eliminating them decisively.

64.    Condemn and criminalize all terrorist acts perpetrated by Daesh and other outlaw armed groups against the Iraqi people, such as murder, enslavement, dispersion, destruction of heritage sites and demolition of the tombs of holy men and virtuous people, and of places of worship.

65.    Stress our standing by Iraq in addressing the problems of refugees and IDPs, and act to restore stability and rebuild the areas which have been destroyed by terrorism, with the aim of at repatriating the citizens.

66.    Call for convening an international conference, with the participation of the UN and its specialized agencies, to contribute to the process of reconstruction of Iraqi cities and to removing the destruction caused by wars and terrorist operations over the recent years; and commend the efforts of the State of Kuwait aimed at hosting the Donors Conference in February 2018 to rebuild Iraqi cities.

EIGHTH: THE SUDAN

67.    Emphasize our support to the Sudan against all foreign threats and express solidarity with it in defending its sovereignty, security and stability; highly appreciate all the good efforts exerted regionally and internationally in order to establish peace in Darfur, and invite the international community to fulfill all its declared commitments to realize peace and sustainable development in the Sudan.

68.    Welcome the National Dialogue outputs and recommendations document signed on 10 October 2016, and call on all political forces and armed movements to join the dialogue process with the aim of achieving peace and stability in the Sudan; and calls on all States to abstain from providing assistance to dissident movements.

69.    Emphasize our rejection of the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 4th of March 2009, containing an arrest warrant against H.E. the President of the Republic of the Sudan Mr. Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, call for the absolute and unconditional revocation of this decision considered as a flagrant violation of the international law and a blatant breach of the national sovereignty of the Republic of the Sudan; and reject the decision of ICC to refer Jordan to the Security Council for not extraditing H.E. President Omar Hassan Al-Bachir to the ICC during his attendance of the Arab Summit in Jordan, as a measure that runs against international agreements and applicable norms.

70.    Welcome the cooperation agreement which has been signed in Addis Ababa between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, as well as the efforts of the Republic of the Sudan to establish peaceful and integrated strategic relations with the Republic of South Sudan, and to resolve outstanding issues between them by way of dialogue according to conventions and agreements signed between them and the as required by their joint interest.

71.    Call on Islamic States to increase their financial and development aid in order to address the economic problems of the Sudan.

TENTH: LIBYA

72.    Reaffirm that the Libyan Parliament elected democratically by the Libyan people is the legitimate representative of the will and choices of the people; and reject interference in the domestic affairs of the State of Libya, by passing the Parliament violating national law and imposing stands and policies on the Libyan people.

73.    Strongly condemns human rights violations, maltreatment to which African immigrants are subjected in some transit countries; call on all countries of origin, transit and destination countries to intensify efforts to end this phenomenon; and appeal to all to help the countries involved in this phenomenon.

ELEVENTH: THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN SYRIA

74.     Emphasize our principled position calling for the necessity to preserve the unity, sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and diverse social fabric of Syria, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter; and condemn the presence of US forces and all other forces illegally present on the Syrian territories, against all international laws and covenants.

75.    Express our satisfaction with the enforcement of the permanent ceasefire in Syria starting from 30 December 2016, and declare our support to the Security Council Resolution 2336, dated 31 December 2016, supporting a permanent ceasefire in Syria.

76.    Commend the efforts and cooperation of Russia, Iran and Turkey to promote the ceasefire through the continuing Astana meetings launched on 23 January 2017, as a prelude to peace establishment in Syria.

77.    Appeal to the OIC States and all members of the international community, including all donors, to fulfill their previous pledges and continue to provide much needed support to the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other humanitarian organizations to provide humanitarian assistance to the millions of Syrians IDPs and refugees in host countries.

78.    Denounce strongly all terrorist acts perpetrated by terrorist groups such as Daesh, Jabhat Al-Nusrah and others; and call for strongly and firmly combating these groups which constitute a danger that threatens all at the regional and international levels.

79.    Commend the significant efforts that have been made by Syria’s neighboring countries and the other countries in the region to shelter Syrian refugees.

TWELVETH: SOMALIA

80.    Stress commitment to act in order to restore the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Somalia and restoration of security therein and reject strongly any foreign intervention in Somalia outside legitimate frameworks.

81.    Welcome the election of H.E. President Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed; commend the efforts of H.E. President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud to extend state control to most regions of Somalia and establish the Federal State according to the “Vision of 2016”; call for supporting the Somali government, led by H.E. Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayr, and engage with it based on the principle of equality and mutual respect among States, without going through international and regional bodies and organizations.

82.    Commend the progress achieved by the Somalian leadership with regard to the model of parliamentary and presidential federal elections; and hail the peaceful and prompt transition of power.

83.    Urge the States of the PUIC Member Parliaments that have not yet opened embassies in Mogadishu to speedily take such a step, in order to promote relations of bilateral cooperation with the Republic of Somalia.

84.    Welcome the improvement made in Somalia in all political, economic and social fields; and call on the Islamic Development Bank Group and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to adopt new initiatives aimed at promoting investment and reinforcing economic and commercial cooperation between Somalia and other States of PUIC Member Parliaments, within the Trade Preferential System adopted among Member States.

THIRTEENTH: AFGHANISTAN

85.    Express our full solidarity with and support for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for the efforts it is exerting to establish peace and security and achieve economic growth in such a way as to serve the interests of the Afghan people.

86.    Appeal to the Governments of the PUIC Member Parliaments to spare no efforts to help the National Unity Government in Afghanistan at this critical stage, in order to achieve peace, security and economic prosperity, especially in the fields of education, youth welfare and health.

87.    Strongly condemn the terrorist acts committed by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other extremist groups in Afghanistan.

FORTHEENTH: SITUATION IN MALI AND NEIGHBORING STATES

88.    Stress our position in support of preserving the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of the Republic of Mali and the neighnouring States; and call for stepping up efforts to help these States overcome the difficulties facing hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons in these countries.

89.    Welcome the convening of the Conference for National Harmony held from 27 March to 2 April 2017, which brought together representative of the Malian Government, all civil society components, and the various groups parties to the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali resulting from the Algiers Process; and express our full support for the implementation of the outcomes of the Conference.

90.    Strongly praise the efforts of Algeria and the entire international mediation team, as well as the countries which contributed to the success of the peace process which led to the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement.

91.    Call on all States of PUIC Member Parliaments to extend urgent financial support and assistance to help Mali enhance peace, security and stability and achieving comprehensive development.

FIFTHEENTH: SITUATION IN CYPRUS

92.    Call upon the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to support effective solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot State and maintain close links with it, aiming to help it overcome the inhumane isolation imposed on it and consolidate and strengthen their relations with the Turkish Cypriot State in all fields; and reiterate the necessity of implementing previous OIC resolutions on the issue of Cyprus as well as the PUIC resolutions.

93.    Welcome the willingness shown by the Turkish Cypriot side to reach a just and lasting political settlement in the island.

SIXTHEENTH: PROTECTION OF MUSLIM COMMUNITIES AND   MINORITIES

94.    Confirm the PUIC commitment towards Muslim communities and minorities living in non-OIC Member States, and call for action to solve their problems in such a way as to ensure their enjoyment of their fundamental rights, such as exercising political, religious and ritual freedoms, and the protection of holy places and historical sites.

95.    Call on Greece to respect the rights of the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace and Dodecanese; and request Greece to take the necessary measures to preserve mosques, places of worship, and Muslim cemeteries.

96.    Urge our governments to give attention to the Muslim minority in Crimea, especially Muslim Tartars, and to follow up closely their conditions in order to ensure the enjoyment of their human rights.

97.    Reaffirm our support to the Peace Agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front on 2 September 1996; call for the speedy and complete implementation of the provisions of this agreement; urge the States of Member Parliaments as well as charitable institutions in the Islamic World to increase their humanitarian assistance for Muslims in Southern Philippines in order to accelerate economic and social development;  and welcome the decision of the Government of the Philippines to start executing the law establishing the self-governing Bangsamoro region without linking this to the process of changing the Constitution, this process which had, for the last forty years, posed an obstacle to peace agreements.

98.    Follow with extreme concern the crisis of Muslims in Central African Republic as a result of what they face in terms of killing, displacement and destruction of properties, which led the UN Secretary General to state that what is taking place in the Central African Republic is ethnic-religious cleansing; strongly condemns the shedding of the blood of thousands of innocent citizens because of their belonging to Islam’ and demand that the transitional authorities in Bangue ensure the return of the displaced and refugees to their homes without being exposed to violence perpetrated by Ante Balaka Militias and the supporters of the deposed President Francois Boseze.

SEVENTEENTH: JAMMU AND KASHMIR                            

99.    Reaffirm the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir dispute as well as resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, calling for free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices to ascertain the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

100.    Call upon the United Nations Secretary General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to send a Fact-Finding Mission to the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and ensure fair, independent and transparent inquiry into the killings and blatant human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces.

EIGHTEENTH: AGGRESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

101.    Demand the strict implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884, and the unconditional, complete and immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied Azerbaijan territories; and strongly urge Armenia to respect the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its territorial integrity.

102.    Condemn the brutal aggressions against Mosques and Islamic Holy places, resulting in considerable losses of Islamic antiquities, and cultural heritage in Azerbaijani territories; and condemn the horrifying genocide that took place in Azerbaijani city of Khujali in 1992, when, in few hours on the night of 25–26 February 1992, 613 civilians were killed, including 106 women and 83 children.

103.    Reaffirm our complete solidarity and support for the efforts of the government and people of the Republic of Azerbaijan in defending their country; and urge for the provision of humanitarian assistance to Azerbaijani refugees and displaced persons who face dire living conditions, in preparation for their return to their homes from which they have been displaced.

NINETHEENTH: ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND ENVIRONMENT

104.    Highly appreciate all efforts exerted to promote and encourage bilateral trade among OIC Member States.

105.    Call for encouraging the joining of funding and insurance institutions in the OIC, such as the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), aimed at benefiting from the services that these institutions provide to enhance trade.

106.    Strongly reject the principle of imposing sanctions, of whatever form – unilateral or multilateral - on States; express absolute solidarity with Islamic countries that are subject to such sanctions; and reaffirm that economic and financial measures should not be used as a means for political coercion, as this results in depriving the targeted people of exercising their natural right to achieving development.

107.    Reject the attempts made by some powers to give precedence to their national legislations over the rules of international law and impose them on other States, which impinges on the sovereignty of the targeted States and on the interests of their peoples.

108.    Express our satisfaction with the constant increase in intra-OIC trade which reached 20.33% in 2015.

109.    Call on States of PUIC Member Parliaments and their financial institutions to take all the necessary measures to achieve the new goal of the expansion of intra trade so that it reaches 25% of their trade exchange by the year 2025, as provided for in the Program of Action adopted by the 13th Islamic Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 14 April, 2016.

110.    Express our solidarity with the African peoples affected by natural disasters and desertification; and support all efforts exerted to confront such catastrophes and phenomena.

111.    Appeal to our governments to secure financial and technical support required to address desertification and climate change in Islamic countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, which are affected by natural disasters and desertification, and call for considering the possibility of involving non-governmental civil society organizations working in the Islamic world in providing all forms of humanitarian aid, including addressing desertification and climate change, to affected countries.

112.    Call on States of PUIC Member Parliaments to exert further efforts to activate the Trade Preferential System (OIC-TPS) among OIC countries.

113.    Urge on the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to encourage their chambers of commerce to become members of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA), so that they benefit from the various forms of support and guidance that the ICCIA provides to its members.

114.    Express our concern about the negative impacts of the problem of external debt on Islamic countries, which constitutes a burden on their economies and endangers their national sovereignty; call on the OIC and its economic and financial institutions to prepare an exhaustive study on this problem and its impacts on the economic progress of the Islamic countries, and call for approaching donor States and international financial institutions with a view to writing off those debts.

115.    Urge RIPARIAN States to inter-coordinate and cooperate on managing and benefiting from joint water resources and preventing restricting the flow of water from the source states, benefiting from it and ensuring the proper use of water in the framework of relevant international legal instruments.

116.    Call for stopping to depend on sea and ocean waters as dumping areas for nuclear waste by superpowers, or conducting nuclear experiments and explosions which negatively affect water as a source of life.

117.    Call for supporting the Republic of Chad in order to reactivate Lake Chad Basin with the aim of resuscitating this vital lake and preventing its demise, and helping in ensuring the necessary funding for this purpose.

118.    Call for cooperation and action to remove the strong causes and circumstances which have led to the excessive inflow of inhabitants to Lake Chad Basin and to find practical ways to re-settle these populations in their regions of origin.

119.    Welcome the practical steps in the ILO to curb the effects of climate change adopted by the Paris Conference in December 2015 and confirmed by the Marrakech Conference in November 2016, and call for complying with these steps and implementing them at the national, regional and international levels

120.    Welcome the Declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN General Assembly in its 66th session, which urges States of PUIC Member Parliaments to take the necessary measures to meet these objectives in achieving development and well-being for their peoples.

121.    Stress the importance of the executive plan for the activation of the Islamic strategy for disaster risk reduction and management in Islamic countries, adopted by the Islamic Summit in 2010, and appreciate the existing cooperation between the OIC, the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in this regard.

TWENTIETH:    CULTURAL AND LEGAL AFFAIRS AND DIALOGUE OF CIVIZILATIONS AND RELIGIONS

122.    Strongly condemns the screening of whatever is offensive to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and religious symbols; denounces the support by a number of European States to this ignoble act, and demands the immediate cessation of such provocations and the preservation of Islamic sanctuaries all over the world.

123.    Calls for preparing a project through consultation with the OIC Cultural organs as well as scholars and elites from various parts of the world to contribute to an effective and constructive dialogue between the Islamic and Western Civilizations.

124.    Stresses the importance of establishing national Islamic television channels broadcasting in foreign languages, in order to project the true image of Islam; and urge ISESCO to establish a specialized satellite channel in this respect.

125.    Expresses the need for adopting a priority common policy aimed at preventing the distortion of Islam’s image on the pretext of freedom of expression, particularly through mass media and the internet.

TWENTY FIRST: HUMAN RIGHTS, WOMEN AND FAMILY

126.    Urges international community especially the UN Security Council Members to condemn India unequivocally for its brutalities in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. International community must fulfill its promises made with the people of Jammu & Kashmir 69 years ago in the form of UN Security council resolutions.

127.    Strongly reject and condemns politicization, selectivity and discrimination in addressing human rights issues at the regional and international levels.

128.    Reject attempts to exploit the issue of human rights in order to cast doubt on the principles and fundamentals of Islamic Sharia, and to interfere in the internal affairs of Muslim States.

129.    Strongly condemn the barbaric Zionist aggression on Palestine and express solidarity with the Palestinian detainees in the Zionist Israeli occupation prisons, especially children abducted from their schools, women, and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in a blatant violation of human rights; call for Zionist Israeli settlers to be brought to justice, and requests the ICRC to follow up the situation of detained women and children and facilitate visits by their families.

130.    Expresses concern over the torture, detention and humiliation inflicted by the occupation forces on Palestinian women and forcing them to sign commitments to prevent their minor children from leaving home and from exercising their natural rights, including their right to education, entertainment and health care.

131.    Condemns also the withdrawal of the identity cards of the residents of Al-Quds, both men and women, which deprives them of their right to build and preserve family socio-cultural ties.

132.    Encourage PUIC Member Parliaments to increase the level of women representation in the decision-making bodies through application of appropriate and effective initiatives.

133.    Reaffirm the vulnerable situation of women and children in conflicts zones, and urge, therefore, Islamic countries to avoid and minimize damage by resolving disputes and facilitating cross-border transit of humanitarian aid, including medicines and basic foodstuff.

134.    Also strongly condemn the inhuman and barbaric terrorist acts of Daesh and other terrorist groups all over the world; recall and strongly condemn the catastrophe they made in Muslim countries bringing injury, death and displacement of millions of civilians, especially women and children, as well as sexual abuse of defenceless women, which strongly impresses every human being.

135.    Request also PUIC Member Parliaments to enact necessary legislations to ensure that all women could enjoy equal access to economic resources, including access to land, productive resources, micro credit and finance, and enhancing technological and medical capacities of women in order to improve their skills through training programs.

136.    Call on the OIC in cooperation with WHO to create a mechanism for taking care of the psychological, mental and physical health, and the rehabilitation of women and children who have suffered the woes of destructive wars.

137.    Call on the states of the Islamic world which have not yet enacted laws proscribing the exploitation of women and abusing their dignity to do so and to devise the necessary mechanisms for their implementation, including by conducting media promotional campaigns

138.    Call on the Member parliaments to establish strong national policies to combat youth unemployment and boost long-term growth and job creation.

139.    Call on the PUIC Member Parliaments to urge their respective governments to act, with the assistance of the International community, to improve the conditions of children, especially those in difficult circumstances such as those living in regions under occupation, violent disputes, natural disasters, famine and conflicts, children who suffer from the impacts of the siege and the economic sanctions imposed on their countries, children with special needs, children without guardians and juvenile offenders, as well as refugee and displaced homeless children, by providing for their physical and moral needs and attaching importance to their education, helping them to return to normal lives, and organizing visits to refugees and displaced persons in the said areas to take stock of their conditions, provide them with moral and material support and double support for countries hosting refugees to enable them to meet the needs of increasing numbers of refugees.

140.    Call again on the Member Parliaments to ratify international agreements banning trafficking in children and child labour in particular.

141.    Call for non-involvement of children in armed conflicts, stress that it contradicts divine religions and international laws, and call for enacting laws to protect children and communalize their exploitation.

142.    Commend the steps taken by the National Assembly of the Republic of Sudan to put into effect its offer to host the Islamic Health Center in the Sudan, which is tasked with conducting research on endemic and fast-spreading diseases (such as Ebola, AIDS, Malaria, Cancer, etc.); commends the National Assembly of the Sudan for informing of the identification of two sites to host the Centre, approves the establishment if the health center in the Sudan; and calls on the governments of the esteemed of Member Parliaments, especially the rich amongst them, the OIC and the IDB and its financial institutions to extend the material and technical support needed to establish the said center in the Sudan.

143.    Request the PUIC General Secretariat to follow up the establishment of the center in the Sudan and provide a report thereon to the next session of the PUIC Conference.

144.    Call for condemning terrorist suicide attacks on religious sites and health care, scientific and cultural centers in Afghanistan; and call for ending them as they cause casualties among women, the youth and children.

TWENTIETH: THANKS, AND APPRECIATION

145.    Express sincere thanks and appreciation to the leadership, people and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially His Eminence the Supreme Guide, His Excellency the President of the Republic, and His Excellency the Speaker of the Islamic Parliament of Iran, for their remarkable hospitality and characteristic generosity, which contributed to the success of the 13th Session of the PUIC Conference. We highly appreciate all efforts being exerted to attain the desired noble objectives of our Union, and express to the leadership, Government, people and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran our best wishes for further prosperity and progress.

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