Moscow hopes that Saudi Arabia will support Russia's desire to join OIK

Moscow counts on the support of Saudi Arabia by the desire of Russia to join the Islamic Conference (OIK).

This was stated by the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexander Saltanov in an interview with the Saudi newspaper Er-Riyad. The text of the interview is posted today on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, reports Interfax.

“We hope that the kingdom, which plays an important role in this organization and in the Islamic world as a whole, will react to our intention with understanding and support it,” A. Saltanov said.

The deputy minister emphasized that "the activation of interaction between Russia and the OIK countries can significantly contribute to solving the tasks facing the entire world community."

"Now, in the era of globalization, the unification of the efforts of states and peoples belonging to various religions and civilizations, it is especially relevant in the interests of joint opposition to international terrorism and other formidable challenges of our time," a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

He recalled that Russia is a multi -confessional country and the number of citizens professing Islam "is approaching 20 million."

The deputy minister noted that in Moscow "they would consider it useful to join Russia to the activities of the OIK, at first as an observer."