Speaker holds call with Kuwaiti counterpart

Manama, June 13 (BNA): Representatives Council Speaker, Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal, discussed over the phone today Arab issues with Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker, Marzouq bin Ali Al Ghanim. The discussions were held within the framework of preparations for the meeting due to be held with President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, which is slated to be held by end of this month. A number of meetings are being held in line with the recommendations of the 31st emergency conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU). AIPU Speaker, Saqr Ghobash, the Speaker of the UAE Federal National Council, delegated Marzouq Al Ghanim to visit Geneva, Switzerland, and hold a meeting with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Speaker, Duarte Pacheco, and another one with the European Parliament President to discuss issues of the Arab geo-political group. The telephone call focused on the stances of the European Parliament concerning the human rights condition in the Arab countries. The Representatives Council Speaker affirmed that the decisions and stances taken by the European Parliament against the Kingdom of Bahrain lack objectivity and credibility as they tend to ignore the kingdom’s big strides in protecting human rights. She also criticized relying on unofficial information aimed at marring the kingdom’s image and belittling its pioneering human rights experience. The Representatives Council Speaker stressed development of the human rights system in the Kingdom of Bahrain in light of the noble royal care and directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the tireless efforts of the government, led by His Royal Highness, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. She highlighted the issued discussed with the Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker which will be raised at the meeting with the European Parliament President. She stressed rejection of the Representatives Council of the inaccurate and biased stances adopted by some members of the European Parliament, calling anew on the European Parliament to evaluate the human rights situation in Bahrain with utter impartiality. The Representatives Council Speaker emphasised the need to further boost the Arab-European relations and the exchange of experiences in vital areas, including sources of sustainable and renewable energy. She stressed the importance of the issue as a top priority in the policies of the Arab and Gulf countries, in light of the national endeavours to increase the renewable energy sources. The Representatives Council Speaker affirmed during the telephone call support to the Arab efforts aimed at supporting the Palestinian issue and the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights according to the two-state solution, the Arab Peace initiative and the relevant resolutions of the international legitimacy. She also touched on the ongoing talks regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, stressing the importance of taking into consideration regional and international worries about the Iranian nuclear programme and ensuring the way of handling this issue does not harm the interests of the Arab countries. The Representatives Council Speaker wished Marzouq Al Ghanim every success in the meetings he will hold as a representative of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union and in coming up with positive results to achieve the interests of the Arab countries.