Shura Council participates in APA session in Azerbaijan
Baku: The Shura Council participated in the 15th plenary session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday, under the slogan 'The Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy in Enhancing Multilateral Cooperation'.
Parliamentary delegations from various countries of the Asian continent took part in the event.
Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali, Chairman of the Shura Council, underscored the importance of choosing the theme of the role of parliamentary diplomacy in enhancing multilateral cooperation in Asia. This topic, he added, has a clear impact in calling for cooperation, solidarity and cohesion among countries and regional and international organizations, being the basic pillar of understanding, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
He said that the theme of the session keeps pace with the development and progress witnessed by the entire world amidst the increasing challenges and issues and the escalation of incidents.
He said that the Sultanate of Oman has been and continues to be throughout history a link between continents, cultures and nations, which has contributed to shaping its national identity and its approach based on dialogue and openness.
He added that the Sultanate of Oman believes that parliamentary action is not limited to formulating laws and legislation only, but also to opening up spaces for dialogue and discussion. Through parliamentary diplomacy, efforts can be unified to address global challenges and call for peace, development and sustainability, he said.
The Shura Council Chairman called on Asian parliaments to take a firm and clear stance towards the rights of the Palestinian people, who constitute an integral part of the large Asian component. He underlined the importance of dialogue leading to security and stability in the region by backing the Palestinian people's demands for their legitimate rights guaranteed by international law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Security Council resolutions, international norms and charters, as well as their right to security, self-determination and the establishment of a fully sovereign state on their land.
Al Maawali asserted that the forced displacement of Palestinians and the seizure of their lands was never and will never be an option for peace, but rather undermines and destroys all forms of international security, stability and peace.
The 15th plenary session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) saw the granting of full membership to the Sultanate of Oman in the Assembly after it had attended as an observer member for nearly eighteen years since joining the Assembly in 2006. This step is a new phase supporting the presence of the Sultanate of Oman in the regional and international parliamentary scene, and enhancing its participation in discussing issues aimed at achieving peace, understanding and coexistence among the various countries of the world.
During the Council's participation in the 15th plenary session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), the Chairman of the Shura Council held bilateral meetings with the heads of the participating parliamentary councils. Al Maawali discussed means of strengthening relations between the Sultanate of Oman and their countries.
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