Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference backs Iran's nuclear program

By Cernig

The final word on the success of Dick Cheney's mission to the Middle east:

The 3-day Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) on Thursday adopted "Islamabad Declaration", backing Iran's peaceful nuclear program and opposing any use of force against the Islamic Republic.

The "Islamabad Declaration" was read out by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri at the concluding session of the ICFM in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was the chief guest at the concluding session of the conference.

"We call for the reduction of tension and resolution of differences concerning Iran's nuclear issue through dialogue," the 31-point declaration said.

"We oppose the use of force which will further destabilize the region.

We recognize Iran's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy and its readiness for peaceful resolution of all issues," it said.

"We reaffirm the inalienable right of the member states to acquire and use atomic energy for peaceful purposes in a non-discriminatory manner and in accordance with the international legal obligations," the Islamabad Declaration said.

The declaration underscores the need to evolve an energy strategy, the response to the interests of the member states.

The Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference is part of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, a 57-nation group with a permanent delegation to the UN, based in Saudi Arabia and including every state on Cheney's visiting list as well as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and Iraq. The Bush administration may try to spin the distinction between support for Iran's "peaceful" nuclear program and support for Iran's nuclear program overall, but I think it's pretty clear Cheney blew it.