The Twenty-fifth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (Session for a better future for the the people's of the Islamic Ummah) held in Doha, State of Qatar, from 17 to 19 Dhul Quida 1418H (15-17 March 1998),

Proceeding from the fact that any ecological catastrophes irrespective of the nature of their origin touch the interests of all countries of the world community;

Taking into consideration the extremely difficult situation in the Aral Sea basin where the world community during the last decades practically lost the second largest freshwater lake in the world as well as in Semipalatinsk region which has been the largest nuclear tests site in the world;

Understanding that the dangerous consequences of continuous drying of the Aral Sea influence the change of climate in northern hemisphere especially in the Asian continent;

Realizing the responsibility of the Islamic Ummah for the future of Muslim nations which inhabit the Aral Sea region and Semipalatinsk nuclear test site zone;

Deeply concerned that the catastrophe, which envelopes all spheres of life in the regions of the Aral Sea and Semipalatink and has no any national limits, acquires a global character;

Recognizing that ecological imbalance is a major threat for the genetic pool of hundreds of thousands of people living in the Aral Sea and Semipalatinsk regions;

Underlining the need for joint effort by the Islamic Ummah to assuage the effects of unprecedented problems caused by nuclear tests and their fatal impact on the population of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site zone and of the adjacent areas;

Welcoming the efforts being made by the OIC and charity organizations of some Islamic countries for financial support and humanitarian aid for the Aral Sea region;

Supporting the participation of international and regional organizations (United Nations, European Union, World Bank) in the programme of rehabilitation of the Aral Sea region;

Noting that Semipalatinsk nuclear site is the only place in the Muslim world where the most dangerous nuclear tests including high intensity tests on the surface have been conducted during the last forty years;

Recognizing that the consequences of the nuclear explosions will influence for a long time the environment of the region and the health of many generations of the people living there;

1. Calls on the U.N. for declaring the Aral Sea region and Semipalatinsk as a zone of global ecological catastrophe.

2. Supports the efforts aimed at the rehabilitation of the Aral Sea and the ground of Semipalatinsk nuclear site which are undertaken by the Government of Kazakhstan as well as regional, international and charity organizations.

3. Deems it necessary to call a special meeting of the Ministers of Environments of Member States for discussing the environmental problems of the Muslim world, particularly of the Aral Sea, Semipalatinsk and other zones of the ecological catastrophes.

4. Appeals to Member States to provide political, economic and financial support aimed at limitation of the impact of destructive consequences of the said catastrophes and at preventing further spreading of these ecological problems, and requests the Islamic Development Bank and charity foundations of the Muslim countries to explore ways and means to evolve programme providing support to the regions of the Aral Sea and Semipalatinsk coordinated with existing international, regional and national programmes.

5. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

Back