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