OIC urges Syria govt., opp. dialog

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called for dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition to resolve the ongoing spiraling crisis in the Arab country.

The 57-nation Muslim bloc called in a statement closing its two-day-long summit in Cairo on Thursday for a solution “that would preserve the rights of the Syrian people and ensure the unity and the safety of their land,” The Associated Press reported.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said the international community must encourage all political parties in Syria to engage in a national dialogue with the government.

“Syria opposition should be convinced to negotiate with the [Syrian] government and the result of talks must be accepted by everyone without imposing a particular solution,” Ali Akbar Salehi said in Cairo.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government has said that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.