RABAT, February 14. /TASS/: Russia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have similar or same approaches to main issues in world politics and conflicts in the Islamic world, Russia's Permanent Representative to the OIC Ramazan Abdulatipov told TASS on Thursday.
"Russia's place in the Islamic world has been historically determined. Russia does not have any colonial experience in Arab and African countries. Moreover, the USSR initiated the Declaration on Decolonization 60 years afo that practically provided a political and legal grounds for liberating those countries from colonial dependence," Abdulatipov said.
"In the first years of Russian statehood, we left the Arab Muslim world. However, after Vladimir Putin became Russian president, the process of our return to the Arab Muslim world is underway. In the spring of 2019, we held the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum, followed by the Russia-Africa summit in Sochi in October. The process has strated, and the process continues, but in many spheres we still have to grow to reach to Soviet level, of course," he added.
"In accordance with the framework agreement between Russia and the OIC, we hold political consultations every year. We don't have significant disagreements. Moreover, Russia and the OIC have similar or same positions on main issues in world politics and conflicts in the Islamic world," Abdulatipov noted.
Earlier on Thursday, Abdulatipov met with Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik in Rabat. The sides discussed prospects for cooperation.
