Asia Parliamentary Assembly cements parliamentary ties

Deputy Speaker of Kuwait's National Assembly Mubarak Al-Khurainej said Saturday the 6th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) coincided with regional and international circumstances that require collective action by the parliaments of Asia. "The APA is an effective tool for bringing closer the Asian nations and strengthening the parliamentary relations," he said. Al-Khurainej made the comments in an interview with KUNA and Kuwait TV upon his arrival leading the Kuwaiti delegation to the gathering to be held in Islamabad between December 8th and 11th. "The delegation will speak on behalf of the Kuwaiti people and Arab nation, " he pointed out. Al-Khurainej noted that the Kuwaiti National Assembly plays a prominent role in the regional and international conferences. He thanked the Senate of Pakistan, the host of the APA 6th Plenary Session, for the warm reception offered to the Kuwaiti delegation, and expressed hope that the event will be a complete success. Meanwhile, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of Pakistani Senate's Defense Committee and head of the event's organizing committee, said Kuwait's is one of the most important and influential member parliaments of the APA. The State of Kuwait is pioneering democracy in the Arabian Gulf region as shown in the freedom enjoyed by the Kuwaiti press and people at large, he told reporters. Senator Sayed noted that he personally felt the atmospheres of freedom and the dynamic role of the National Assembly in the political life in Kuwait during his visits to the country. He added that the Kuwaiti delegation will contribute effectively to the discussions of the agenda topics of the APA session, particularly the issues relating to economic, energy and environment cooperation in Asia. He reaffirmed Pakistan support to the Palestinian people in their struggle for regaining their legitimate rights. The APA session is expected to bring together more than 200 MPs from 30 Asian countries. According to the preliminary agenda of the gathering, the Second Meeting of the APA Executive Council will be held tomorrow just one day ahead of the Sixth Plenary Session.