OIC chief meets Russian FM, discusses Jerusalem issue

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AA) - Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Othaimeen discussed the situation in Jerusalem and the fight against terror with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The meeting was held in New York on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, according to an OIC statement issued Friday.

The meeting tackled the situation in the Middle East, especially the Palestine issue and the situation in occupied Jerusalem, along with developments in Syria, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, the Sahel region and West Africa.

According to the statement, the two sides stressed the need to coordinate efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, which pose "a major threat to international peace and security”.

Al-Othaimeen also met with Nigerian President Mohammed Bukhari, with whom he discussed terrorism in Africa, especially the Boko Haram group.

The OIC is an international organization established in 1969. It consists of 57 member states with a collective population of over 1.8 billion.