Arab Parliamentary Union resumes deliberations in Damascus
Regional, Politics, 6/29/1999

The Arab Parliamentary Union on Monday resumed its deliberations in Damascus, under the chairmanship of Egyptian Parliament Speaker Fathi Sorour.

Heads of parliamentary delegations from Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Mauritania recommended drawing up an Arab strategy for a united stand towards the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the region. They condemned the recent Israeli air strikes against Lebanon and expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people and backing for their right to continue resistance until their occupied lands in south Lebanon are liberated.

They also voiced total support for the struggle mounted by the Palestinian people to establish "their own independent state on their native soil with Jerusalem as a capital."

Syria which hosts the conference, submitted by its Parliamentary group to the 34th session of the APU called on the Arab states to unite their stances and to mobilize their potentials with a view to challenging hostile schemes and building up a brighter Arab future. The Syrian paper recommended adopting a strategy for protecting "national Arab security and ensuring development, with culture as inseparable element."

It called for strengthening the role of the APU in achieving pan-Arab solidarity and for strengthening activities carried out by the Arab League and establishments working to maintain common Arab action.

The paper called on the Middle East peace process cosponsors to work for materializing a just and comprehensive peace based on implementing UN resolutions and the Madrid terms of reference, especially the land-for-peace formula.

It also called for halting all forms of normalization with Israel, for suspending Arab participation in multilateral negotiations and for strengthening the Arab boycott of Israel.

The Syrian paper strongly denounced acts of genocide and oppression systematically carried out against the Palestinian people and against the Golan and south Lebanon. It reiterated backing for the unity of the Syrian and Lebanese tracks in the peace talks and stressed the need to implement UN resolution 425, which provides for total and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  Speaker of Moroccan parliament takes part in Arab inter-parliamentary union   (6/28/1999)
  Damascus hosts APU's 34th session   (6/28/1999)
  Arab parliamentary union meets on Sunday in Damascus   (6/26/1999)

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