Al-Lahham debates counterterrorism efforts with Pakistani and Russian officials
LAHORE,(ST)_Speaker of the People’s Assembly [Parliament] separately met his Pakistani counterpart and head of the Russian State Duma’s delegation to the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) on Wednesday, according to the official news agency (SANA).
The agency reported that Mohammad Jihad al-Lahham and Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq discussed bilateral ties and the APA’s role in bringing together viewpoints of Asian states towards world causes, including combatting international terrorism.
“All states, especially those involved in supporting the extremist Takfiri thinking and terrorist organizations, must abide by the U.N. resolutions on counterterrorism,” al-Lahham said, hoping that the APA would play a key role in unifying efforts to defeat terrorism which is spreading in the Middle East region.
Gap between Asian states
On his part, the Pakistani Speaker underscored the importance of bridging the gap between Asian states and bringing together viewpoints to confront challenges that have swept the entire world.
He hoped that Syrian people would achieve swift victory over terrorism.
Another discussions on situation in the ME region and repercussions of terrorist war on Syria and Iraq were held between al-Lahham and Mikhail Emelianov, who is leading the Russian State Duma’s delegation to the APA in Lahore city.
Seriousness
Al-Lahham described the Syrian-Russian efforts in counterterrorism as ‘the most serious’, stressing that the Washington-led coalition against the ISIS is but media show and will be to no avail without cooperation and coordination with the Syrian government.
Emelianov supported al-Lahham’s viewpoint, saying that the U.S. is spreading killing and destruction and it is not serious in counterterrorism. “If the U.S. was serious in counterterrorism, it would cooperate and coordinate with the Syrian government,” he added.
Today’s meetings were held on the sidelines of the 7th session of the APA which kicked off on Monday with participation of 40 Parliamentary figures from 25 Asian states.
Basma Qaddour