On June 19, 2006 the 33-rd Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers opened in the Gulustan Palace in Baku, Azerbaijan. Along with the high level representatives of the member states, representatives of countries and international organizations, such as the UN, CoE, OSCE and the League of Arab States participate in the Session in the capacity of observers and invitees. The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan His Excellency Ilham Aliyev in his welcoming remarks attached great importance to the cooperation of Azerbaijan within the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The organization has special significance in settlement of international problems, the President emphasized.

Having decisively condemned the recent manifestation of islamophobia and of associating Islam with terrorism in some countries, President Aliyev stressed, that such facts dictate the Islamic Ummah proceeds from a single position.

The President underlined continuing occupation of Azerbaijan territories by Armenia and informed the Session's participants on the Armenia-pursued policy of terror, vandalism, destruction of the cultural and historical monuments, ethnic cleansing against the people of Azerbaijan.

During the Session the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference His Excellency Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu submitted a report on the OIC activity. The Secretary General also presented OIC Ten-Year Programme of Action to President Ilham Aliyev.

During the meeting the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammedyarov was elected a Chairman of the 33-rd Conference.