Message Secretary General to the fourth meeting of the second round of trade negotiations for the establishment of the trade preferential system among OIC member states,

Date: 10/09/2007

Message of H.E. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu Secretary General of the organization of the Islamic conference (OIC) To the fourth meeting of the second round of trade negotiations for the establishment of the trade preferential system among OIC member states, Ankara, Republic of Turkey 10-12 September 2007 H.E. Mr. Kursat Tuzmen, Minister of State, In charge of foreign Trade, Excellencies the Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh First of all, I wish to thank H.E. Mr. Kursat Tuzmen, State Minister, In Charge of Foreign Trade and the COMCEC Coordination Office for the kind invitation extended to me to attend the Fourth Meeting of the Second Round of Trade Negotiating Committee of the Protocol on the Preferential Tariffs Scheme (PRETAS) for the Framework Agreement on the Trade Preferential System of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (TPS-OIC) for which I am thankful and would like to express my sincere thanks to the esteemed Government of the Republic of Turkey for hosting this august meeting. Trade has all along been the central feature in the development of intra-OIC cooperation. Trade is also the link that strengthens connections between States and reinforces the bonds of fraternity among Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Member States of the OIC welcome efforts towards increased trade so that we can compete internationally. The Framework Agreement on Trade Preferential System among OIC Member States is the outcome of these efforts as well an expression of the OIC for more intensive trade cooperation. The implementation of PRETAS will also pave the way for the realization of one of the most important objectives of the Ten-year Programme of Action adopted by the Makkah Summit; fostering sustainable development of Member States by increasing intra-OIC trade. Therefore I appeal to those Member States which have not yet signed PRETAS to do so and to ratify it as soon as possible. I also call on all participating delegations and all relevant organs and institutions to support the OIC to bring this agreement into effect. It is notable that as of today, only ten OIC Member States have signed PRETAS and only two have ratified this Protocol. This Fourth and last Meeting of the Second Round of the Trade Negotiations will witness the signing ceremony of the (TPS-OIC) Rules of Origin at the Second Meeting of the Ministers of Commerce of Member States of the TNC during the official closing of the Second Round. The adoption of these Rules of Origin will constitute an important milestone in the history of TPS-OIC and PRETAS. I am also convinced that the data on Para-Tariff and Non-Tariff Measures to be submitted by Member States of TNC will contribute significantly to move forward the negotiations during this Fourth Session on the methods of eliminating Para-Tariff and Non-Tariff Measures. I look forward to the adoption, in the near future, of Para-Tariff and Non-Para-tariff Measures in OIC Member Countries. Before concluding, I would like to assure you that the Committee could count on my full support and the one of the General Secretariat to make this Second Round of Negotiation of TNC a success. Wassalamu Alaykum Wa Rahamatullahi Wa Barakatuh

Other Press

No press releases assigned to this case yet.