The decision announced on Wednesday by US President George W Bush would "hopefully contribute to strengthening the dialogue between the United States and the OIC," Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said in a statement.

He also hoped it would represent a major step "towards a historical reconciliation between the West and the Muslim world."

Bush made the announcement at a speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Islamic Centre of Washington, a mosque and Islamic cultural center in the US capital.

In his speech Bush said the US envoy to the 57-nation bloc of Islamic nations would listen to Muslim countries, share Washington's views and explain US values.