Amman, June 25 (Petra)-- Parliaments of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have reaffirmed the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship, held by His Majesty King Abdullah II, over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, stressing its role in safeguarding the city's identity and preserving its sacred places.

The affirmation came in the final communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 20th Conference of the Union of Councils of Member States of the OIC (PUIC), hosted in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, with Lower House Speaker Mazen Al-Qadi leading the Jordanian parliamentary delegation.

The conference also reiterated support for the two-state solution as the path to achieving a just and comprehensive peace through the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state on its national territory.

Addressing the gathering of Islamic parliaments, Al-Qadi stressed that the Palestinian cause will remain the central issue for the Arab and Islamic nations, noting that the continued occupation and the denial of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights, foremost among them the right to establish an independent state, remain major obstacles to security, stability and development in the region.

He also underscored the historic role of the Hashemite Custodianship in protecting Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites against attempts to alter the city's identity and character.

MP Nimer Al-Suleihat participated in drafting the conference’s final communiqué, which included explicit support for the Hashemite Custodianship, recognition of the centrality of the Palestinian cause, backing for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem.

The Jordanian parliamentary delegation held a series of official meetings attended by Jordan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Omar Al-Nahar and Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Jordan Shahin Abdullayev.

During the meetings, Al-Qadi conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Abdullah II to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who highlighted the strong brotherly ties with the King and praised Jordan’s role, under His Majesty’s leadership, in promoting security, stability and peace in the Middle East region.

Al-Qadi also held talks with Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov. Discussions focused on strengthening parliamentary, economic and investment cooperation and expanding partnership opportunities, particularly in the energy sector.

On the sidelines of the conference, Al-Qadi met with Chairman of Oman’s Shura Council Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali, First Deputy Speaker of the UAE Federal National Council Hamid Al Tayer, and First Deputy Speaker of Iraq’s Council of Representatives Adnan Al-Dulaimi.

The meetings addressed ways to enhance parliamentary cooperation, exchange expertise and coordinate on issues of mutual interest.

In a related development, the Jordanian-Azerbaijani Parliamentary Friendship Committee, chaired by MP Hussein Krishan, held a joint meeting with its counterpart in the Azerbaijani Parliament. The two sides discussed prospects for parliamentary, economic and cultural cooperation and agreed to move forward with signing a memorandum of understanding and an executive action plan. They also agreed to designate 2027 as the Year of Jordanian-Azerbaijani Friendship to further strengthen ties between the two nations.

Members of the Jordanian delegation also participated in meetings of the PUIC’s specialized committees, including the Permanent Committee on Palestine, the Committee on Muslim Minorities and Communities, the Committee on Cultural and Legal Affairs, the Committee on Economic and Environmental Affairs, and the Committee on Human Rights, Women and Family Affairs.

Jordan secured three seats on the union’s committees, while Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Awad Al-Ghweiri took part in the seventh meeting of the Association of Secretaries General of the OIC Member States’ Parliaments.

//Petra// MF