Steinitz: OECD J'lem conference will not be canceled

Finance minister meets with OECD head in Washington; says OECD will not be involved with political issues.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
OECD 311 (photo credit: Associated Press)
OECD 311
(photo credit: Associated Press)
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz announced Sunday that the Organization of Economic Cooperation (OECD) will not cancel its tourism conference set to be held in Jerusalem.
RELATED:Jerusalem OECD tourism conference back on trackOECD meeting called into question over MK's remarks
The OECD warned earlier that it would cancel the conference in response to statements made by Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov implying that the OECD's decision to hold the conference in Jerusalem means it recognizes the city as the capital of Israel.
In an Army Radio interview Sunday, Steinitz stated that he met with the OECD's Secretary General Angel Gurria on Saturday in Washington where the two agreed to keep the conference in Jerusalem.
"The OECD does not deal with politics, security, or diplomacy," Steinitz said. "We agreed that the conference would not be canceled and would take place in Jerusalem, but would not engage in political issues regarding the conflict or negotiations between us and the Palestinians."