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OIC deadlocked on electing secretary general |
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June 30, 2000
KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - Islamic countries on Thursday appeared deadlocked on the issue of electing a new secretary general for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, delegates and diplomats said.
The four-year term of the present secretary general Azeddine Laraki expires at the end of this year and a new incumbent must be chosen at the current four-day Kuala Lumpur meeting of OIC foreign ministers.
However, under the organization's rules, no election is held for the top official post and the candidate is decided by consensus.
Contending for the post are Bangladesh, Turkey and Morocco. Some delegates argue that the next secretary general of the 56-nation group should be someone from Asia because Morocco's Laraki has held the post for four years.
But many Arab countries, which form a significant bloc in the OIC, favor Morocco, one Asian delegate said on condition of anonymity.
Laraki, 70, a former prime minister of Morocco, did not comment on the election. He told reporters that even if Morocco was selected to hold the secretary general's office for another four-year term, his country could pick someone else to fill the post.
However, he said, there was no rule in the OIC saying that the secretary general's office should shift from the Arab bloc to the Asian bloc.
The OIC formerly categorized its members as belonging to the Arab group, the African group and the Asian group.
Laraki said that each group is entitled to two consecutive terms as secretary general. "I believe it is too premature," he said when asked about his ountry's chances of retaining the office.
The issue was to be discussed by the OIC general body later in the afternoon and a decision was expected late Thursday.
The OIC meeting, which opened on Tuesday, brings together foreign ministers and nearly 1,000 other delegates.
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