AIPU’s 34th Conference kicks off in Baghdad

Activities of the 34th Conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) kicked off on Saturday in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, with the participation of the Syrian delegation led by Speaker of the People’s Assembly (PA) Hammouda Sabbagh.

In a statement, President of the AIPU, Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Muhammad Al-Halbousi called on the Arab countries to adopt a final decision on Syria’s return to the Arab surrounding so that it can play its Arab, regional and international role effectively. He also urged working intensively to help Syria restore its stability, rebuild its infrastructure and  return the Syrian refugees.

“Syria has recently experienced difficult circumstances following the devastating earthquake that caused human losses and massive damage to property. All this requires us all to work hard and do our duty in supporting Syria so that it can face and overcome the repercussions of this disaster,”Al-Halbousi said.

Jordanian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al-Safadi, for his part, demanded the return of Syria to its Arab incubator.

“Syria is the beating heart of Arabism and the beacon of Arab civilization. The painful earthquake disaster requires us to intensify providing assistance to the Syrian people,” Al-Safadi said.

For his part, the Libyan Parliament Speaker Aqila Saleh urged speakers of Arab parliaments to voice their solidarity with the Syrian people in their ordeal and to call for lifting the sanctions that have exacerbated the Syrians’ suffering and impeded rescue and relief operations in the earthquake-hit areas.

Hamda Mustafa