By empty (9/11/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)
It is impermissible to identify Islam with terrorism, Azeri President Ilham Aliev stated here on Monday, addressing the opening meeting of the Fifth Conference of Tourism Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference nations (OIC). The president noted that a terrible act of terrorism was committed in the United States exactly five years ago, which claimed the lives of many innocent people. The Islamic world had condemned it, he stressed.
It is impermissible to identify Islam with terrorism, Azeri President Ilham Aliev stated here on Monday, addressing the opening meeting of the Fifth Conference of Tourism Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference nations (OIC). The president noted that a terrible act of terrorism was committed in the United States exactly five years ago, which claimed the lives of many innocent people. The Islamic world had condemned it, he stressed. “Today, some forces are endeavouring to identify Islam with terrorism. This is impermissible. Those who are trying to identify Islam and terrorism are committing an aggression against one of the world religions,” Aliev stated. “Islam is a religion of patience and tolerance,” the president stressed. “We want to live in peace with all the world,” he added. It is necessary to pool the efforts of all the nations in order to make the fight against terrorism effective, the Azerbaijan leader stressed. “It is impossible to overcome this evil single-handed,” he added. The Azerbaijan leader believes the Islamic world is a big family, which should be “used to strengthen universal stability and security”. Aliev also stressed the importance of the solidarity of Moslem nations. The stronger OIC is, the stronger will be our positions and our influence on the global processes,” the president of Azerbaijan stated. Tourism ministers of forty of the fifty-seven OIC countries are attending the Baku conference, as well as representatives of ten international organisations, including the World Tourism Organisation. (Itar-Tass)