"Our relations may become an important factor of multilateral cooperation in the resolution of urgent problems facing humanity," Lavrov said.
He noted that Russia tries to maintain and develop friendly ties with Moslem countries and is grateful for support of the address on giving the Russian Federation an observer status with the OIC expressed by the leaders of many OIC countries.
"Interest in the rapprochement with the Islamic world proceeds from the most multiethnic and multifaith nature of our state. Realizing this course, we are ready to cooperate with the Organization of the Islamic Conference in those forms which would be acceptable both to Russia and OIC members," Lavrov said.
Russia is also interested in interaction with OIC member states in the cause of Chechnya's restoration, Lavrov said.
"We are interested in practical interaction with the OIC member states in the cause of reviving the national economy, culture, education and other spheres of life of the Chechen republic. We would welcome the contribution of your states to the realization of projects for the Chechen Republic carried out under the UN aegis. We are open for participation of observers from the OIC both in the early elections of the Chechen President and in the elections of the legislative body of the Chechen Republic that will follow," Lavrov said.
The Russian Foreign Minister said that despite terrorists' calculations, "our policy toward political settlement in Chechnya based on the Chechen nation's support remains the same."
"We highly appreciate the understanding that it [the policy] meets in the Islamic world," Lavrov said.
The convocation of an international conference on Iraq would contribute to the settlement in that country, the Russian minister said.
"By our common conviction, the Iraqi settlement can hardly acquire positive dynamics without the active role of the UN as well as the neighbors of Iraq and other Moslem states. The convocation of an international conference or meeting on Iraq would contribute to this, in favor of which the UN Security Council has spoken in its unanimously adopted resolution 1546," Lavrov said.
He said Russia and OIC member states have close positions on the settlement of the situation in this region.
"Russia and the OIC member states are united in what relates to the necessity of the soonest restoration of Iraq's sovereignty, creation of conditions for the democratic development, preservation of unity and territorial integrity of that country," Lavrov said.
The OIC was founded in 1969 on the initiative of Saudi Arabia. It is an international intergovernmental organization uniting 57 Moslem countries, including several CIS countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The OIC is the largest Moslem organization, whose officially declared task is "consolidation of Islamic solidarity and efforts of Moslem states."
The OIC HQ is situated in Saudi Arabia in the city of Jidda.
The OIC's supreme body is the Conference of the heads of state and government convened once in three years. The last conference took place in fall 2003 in Malaysia.
