Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu: Bloodshed must stop in Syria

OIC Secretary General stressed that military option did not lead anywhere in Syria. Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has said that the bloodshed in Syria must end. Ihsanoglu met King Carl Gustav of Sweden at his palace during his visit in Stockholm upon invitation of Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. In the meetingIhsanoglu and King Gustav discussed the recent developments in Egypt and Syria, as well as the improving relations between Sweden and the Muslim world, told Ihsanoglu at a press conference to the Turkish journalists. Ihsanoglu also mentioned inter-civilizational issues were within the scope of the talks, and said that Sweden had always been tolerant to the different religions as illustrated by the decision about the Friday call to prayer from the mosque in Fittja, a neighborhood in Stockholm. "We appreciate Sweden's understanding that encourages the call to prayer, as against the mentality that forbids the minarets," saidIhsanoglu. In response to the questions related to the incidents in Syria, Ihsanoglu, referring to the latest numbers announced by the UN, explained that the number of casualties was said to have reached 70,000 while number of refugees were 1 million and inside Syria few millions of people are away from their homes. "A country is collapsing with its history and infrastructure. Nobody benefits this. The price of this is too high," said Ihsanoglu, and added that the priority was to provide the ceasefire, start the political process and stop the bloodshed. Ihsanoglu also stated that the agreement over the transition government reached in Geneva last year had to be implemented. He added that for two years the military option did not lead anywhere, and said, "The international community seems to have agreed on the things not to be done and it seems to have not reached a decision on the things to be done. Now is the time to agree on this. Bloodshed must stop. The two sides must be convinced to sit at the negotiation table."