Syria to be suspended from OIC

Published August 13, 2012

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (L) is greeted by Saudi Prince Khaled al-Faisal bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, governor of Mecca, upon his arrival in the coastal city of Jeddah on August 13, 2012. Leaders of Muslim countries, including Iran's pro-Syrian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are due to gather for an extraordinary summit called by Saudi King Abdullah who is pushing to mobilise support for the Syrian rebellion. -AFP Photo

JEDDAH: Syria will be suspended from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday for its violent suppression of a 17-month uprising, a diplomat said on Monday before a two-day OIC summit in Mecca.

“The resolution regarding the suspension of the Syrian membership in the OIC is not facing obstacles... It will be approved,” said the diplomat, speaking on the sidelines of a preliminary foreign ministers meeting in Jeddah.

He said the decision was likely to be formally announced at the end of the second day of the summit which was called by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah earlier this month.

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