The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should not allow itself be “subverted” by Pakistan, which may prompt it to interfere in India’s internal affairs, said an official of the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi clarified the Indian position hours after the OIC announced that the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Ausaf Sayeed on July 5 met Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen for a discussion when OIC proposed to “assist” a dialogue between India and Pakistan.
“Our Ambassador conveyed the need to correct some of the misperceptions about India that are perpetrated by vested interests in the OIC. Further, the OIC should be watchful that their platform is not subverted by these vested interests for comments on internal affairs of India or for anti-India propaganda through biased and one-sided resolutions,” Mr. Bagchi said, confirming that the meeting was requested by the Secretary General of the OIC.
Mr. Bagchi later clarified that he had referred to Pakistan through the use of the term “vested interests”. The discussion between the two sides comes in the context of the reported back channel talks between India and Pakistan that are being assisted by the United Arab Emirates. The role of the UAE in moderating India-Pakistan acrimony in regional and world bodies like the OIC and the UN were also noted in the past. India has reached out to various OIC members like the U.A.E., Bangladesh and the Maldives to support New Delhi’s position on relevant matters.
“The Secretary General also asked about the possibility of a meeting between Pakistan and India, stating that the General Secretariat stands ready to assist if the two parties so request,” a press statement from the OIC declared in an unusual manner, which seemed to hint at a role for a third party in Indo-Pak disputes.
The OIC also stated that the meeting between Dr. Sayeed and Dr. Al-Othaimeen “reviewed a number of issues concerning the situation of Muslims in India, along with the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and relevant UN and OIC resolutions opposing any unilateral actions on the issue”.
Dr. Al-Othaimeen, conveyed the “desire of the OIC General Secretariat to dispatch a delegation to the disputed territory in line with relevant resolutions of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers”.
The Ministry of External Affairs however did not respond to a question on whether India would consider the OIC’s proposal for a delegation to Kashmir.
