Conference on democracy, human rights in the Arab states

An international conference on democracy and human rights in the Arab states opened in Egypt on Monday, a government report noted.

The report said: The conference was inaugurated by head of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights Boutros Boutros-Ghali. It was also attended by People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit.

Addressing the inaugural session, Ghali said that there is no democracy without human rights.

Sorour pointed out that reform in Egypt and other Arab nations is based on home-grown initiatives, citing the recent presidential and parliamentary elections in Egypt as a key step toward enhancing democracy.

Abul-Gheit said Egypt strongly believes that democracy and human rights must go hand in hand.

Democracy is the backbone of human rights, the top Egyptian diplomat added.

He asserted that human rights and democracy are the key components of a healthy society in which all people feel secure.

Abul-Gheit said that Egypt has set an example for respecting human rights in the region, citing the establishment of a number of national councils to enhance and protect human rights such as the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood.

But Moussa questioned the link between democracy and human rights.

"There are some democratic countries that do not respect human rights and twist laws to torture prisoners," he said.