On arrival at the Gulustan palace, His Royal Highness and other OIC ministers were welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov.

The conference began with an address by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Mr Ilham Aliyev. His Excellency said Baku conference is the first meeting at the Ministerial level of the OIC member countries that takes place after the emergence of the crisis as a result of publication of the defamatory caricatures of prophet Muhamad.

His Excellency said the issue of Islamophobia in general will be among the main issues to be delivered by the Islamic Conference's foreign minister. His Excellency went on to say at the political level, the Palestinian issue - the Israeli-Arab conflict, the current situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Syprus top the conference's agenda.

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