4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament condemns all forms of terrorism

New York – The 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament condemned in its final statement all forms of terrorism.

Wrapping up its activities Wednesday at the UN headquarters in New York with participation of Syrian People’s Assembly delegation headed by its Speaker Mohammad Jihad al-Laham, the Conference stressed the parliaments’ important role in confronting the challenges facing the countries of the world and their peoples, and the need for building a world safe of war, conflict and free from poverty and hunger, SANA reported.

 In conference’s final statement, the participants said: “In spite of progress in the areas of democracy, peace and development, we continue to live in an unstable world. War and conflict, often characterized by extreme brutality, are a daily reality in many places. Millions of people, primarily women and children die, are injured and displaced or forced to flee in dramatic conditions”, calling for ..”much greater efforts to be deployed in solving conflicts through political dialogue and negotiations, with full respect for international law.

The Speakers expressed readiness to offer place more emphasis on parliamentary diplomacy, which has demonstrated its ability to provide impetus to efforts aimed at resolving differences and conflicts.

“We witness horrendous terrorist acts in every part of the globe. New terrorist groups are emerging with substantial resources at their disposal” the statement said, condemning “all forms and manifestations of terrorism, irrespective of their perpetrators and motives”.

The Speakers affirmed in the statement that their parliaments “will do (their) utmost to enhance cooperation and support implementation of all relevant UN resolutions and international conventions and agreements to combat terrorism”.

The statement added: “Much more needs to be and can be done to prevent and reduce the risk of violence, We call for greater efforts to achieve a nuclear weapons free world”, expressing participants’ desire to “see a real reduction in the proliferation of all weapons”, Calling for urgent action to be taken including “robust legislation, to combat organized crime involved in human trafficking, drugs and illegal arms trade,

kidnappings and extortion, and associated money laundering”.

 In a relevant context, al-Laham discussed with Speaker of Indian Parliament

Sumitra Mahajan means of activating bilateral cooperation, particularly in light of the spreading of extremism and terrorism in the world.

Mahajan stressed that India stands against terrorism, asserting that it will join any effort to fight it.

The Indian Speaker said that her country knows that the mass media falsify the facts towards what is going on in Syria.

For his part, al-Laham stressed the necessity of exchanging visits between the Syrian and Indian parliaments to illustrate what is going on in Syrian on the ground, the truth of terrorism hatched against the region and the countries supporting them under false pretexts.

 In another meeting, al-Laham discussed with Speaker of Mauritanian National Assembly Mohamed Ould Boilil discussed fraternal relations between the Syrian and Mauritanian peoples and means of expanding fields of cooperation on various levels.

Al-Laham elaborated the terrorist war waged against Syria, reiterating the necessity of fighting the cross-border terrorism and the regional and international cooperation in this regard.

For his part, Ould Boilil expressed his people’s solidarity with the Syrian people, pointing out that the conspiracy against the Syrian people targets all Arab peoples.

 Meanwhile, al-Laham reviewed with Chairman of the National Assembly in Vietnam Nguyen Sinh Hung the friendly relations between the two peoples and the latest developments on the international arena, particularly the phenomenon of terrorism.

Hung said Syria and Vietnam are tied with good relations.