Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit has called for a collective Arab response in defiance of Arab neighbours in the region, who are adopting policies and practices that would harm the national security of Arab countries.
Abul Gheit's remark came during the second session of the Arab Parliament (AP) third legislative chapter, held at the AL headquarters on Saturday, in the presence of House of Representatives speaker Ali Abdel-Aal and Senate speaker Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razek.
The AP has to adopt strong and clear-cut stances, reflecting this comprehensive response of Arab countries and expressing peoples' concerns over any interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries, said Abul Gheit.
He added that the Arab agenda is full of issues and topics, most of them are pressing and serious, from economy to policy and from foreign relations to social issues, which concern citizens in all Arab countries.
The AL chief said challenges facing the region are unprecedented, especially on security and strategic levels.
Such challenges are topped by the Palestine cause and the right of Palestinians to establish their independent state based on June 4th, 1967 borders with Al-Quds as its capital, he said.
Abul Gheit hailed AP's rejection of the US resolution recognizing Al-Quds as the capital of Israel.
He voiced hope that negotiations will move forward on the Palestinian-Israeli track within the coming period, in order to reach a peaceful settlement ending the occupation and establishing comprehensive peace within the region.
Senate speaker Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razek said that the signing of a cooperation protocol with the Arab Parliament (AP) emanates from the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in achieving hopes and aspirations of the Arab people.
Abdel-Razek was speaking at the second session of the AP third legislative chapter, which kicked off at the Arab League (AL) headquarters on Saturday.
House of Representatives Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal and AL Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit were present at the session, which coincides with the eighth anniversary of establishing the AP with its permanent status, seven years after ending its temporary status which started since its inception in 2005.
Abdel-Razek voiced hope in Arab parliamentary diplomacy, that is adopted by the Parliament, that it will achieve its fruitful outcome in tandem with official diplomacy missions of the Arab countries.
"We all hope all diplomatic efforts will unite under the umbrella of the Arab League," he said.
The session provided an opportunity for making decisions about risks and challenges facing the Arab region and hindering the achievement and aspirations of the Arabs, he added.
The cooperation protocol focuses on common values and principles, based on consultation, democracy, freedom, fraternity, equality, justice and human rights he added.
Egypt, under the leadership of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, will always remain supportive to the Arab Parliament (AP) towards boosting the joint Arab action, said House of Representatives speaker Ali Abdel-Aal on Saturday.
The speaker was addressing the second session of AP third legislative chapter, which kicked off Saturday morning at the premises of Arab League.
Abdel-Aal thanked AP speaker Adel Abdul-Rahman Al-Asoumi for inviting him to the inauguration of the general session and expressed happiness over its coincidence with the eighth anniversary of establishing the AP with its permanent status, seven years after ending its temporary status which started since its inception in 2005.
He expressed hope that the AP would activate its role in advocating Arab legitimate rights, confronting systematic regional interference in affairs of Arab countries as well fighting all forms of terrorism, its financiers and sponsors.
Abdel-Aal lauded the blue print of the AP which entails establishing a center for Arab parliamentary diplomacy along with forming a joint anti-terror committee to promote the role of parliament in fighting terrorism and extremism.
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