By IINA,
Jeddah : The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu was conferred upon an honorary doctorate degree by the prestigious Near East University of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on May 12, 2008. The conferment of the degree, during a ceremony held at the University, came as a recognition to his extraordinary academic career and his life long commitment to the causes of the Muslim Ummah, according to an OIC statement.
The Secretary General while thanking the university authorities, stated that conferment of this degree was particularly gratifying for him as it came from a young but a leading university which progressed tremendously in the field of research and higher education within a short span of time. Prof. Ihsanoglu held separate meetings with the TRNC President Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister Mr. Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Turgay Avci during the visit.
During the meetings, he expressed optimism about the current positive atmosphere between the two sides in Cyprus and reiterated OIC’s support for a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue, under the auspices of the United Nations and on the basis of political equality.