ISTANBUL, December 13. 2017 (WAFA) - The extraordinary Islamic summit kicked off in Istanbul Wednesday morning, staring with a meeting at the level of foreign ministers in preparation for the summit at the leadership level that is expected to convene in the afternoon to discuss the repercussions of the critical US decision on Jerusalem.

Palestine’s representative at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Maher al-Karaki, told the official Voice of Palestine radio on Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to deliver a speech at the opening of the summit, which is being held at the request of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his capacity as current president of the OIC.

Karaki added that the summit will reaffirm the right of a sovereign state of Palestine in the entire occupied Palestinian territories with Jerusalem as its capital and will call on member states to take effective steps to support Jerusalem and the Palestinian leadership‘s efforts and moves.

He pointed out that the ministerial liaison group on Jerusalem will be called upon to come up with a plan of action that includes visiting capitals of various countries to inform them of the danger caused to Jerusalem as well as calling upon countries that have not yet recognized the state of Palestine to do so immediately.

Ambassador Karaki said that the preparatory meeting of the summit, which was held at the level of delegates on Tuesday, discussed the draft statement to be submitted to the ministerial meeting as well as the draft of the final statement that will be discussed at the summit.

M.K.