Al-Ghanim re-elected chairman of AIPU in Kuwait

 In its 20th session which kicked off here Sunday, the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union has re-elected Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim as chairman for the pan-Arab organization.Al-Ghanim won the post uncontested after the approval of his election by the AIPU members in the opening session Sunday.The conferees also endorsed the 20th session's agenda and a report by the AIPU Secretary General regarding the union activities.They then moved to the main theme of the session "Jerusalem the capital of Palestine." The participant lawmakers underlined Arab countries' support to the Palestinian Authority efforts to have an independent Palestinian state with occupied Jerusalem as its capital.In his speech, Chairman of the Saudi Shura Council Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Sheikh thanked Kuwait for its defense to the cause of the Jerusalem.Meanwhile, Speaker of the Palestinian National Council Salem Al-Zaanoun said the Israeli government is going ahead with its illegal practices and encroachments against occupied Palestinian territories, particularly Jerusalem.He urged Arab countries to exert more efforts to persuade the international community to press Israel to stop its aggression on Palestinian lands.He demanded Arab countries and international community to help desperate Palestinian refugees who are facing starvation in the besieged Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria.For his part, Speaker of the Jordanian Parliament Atef Tarawneh suggested forming a legal committee to take legal actions against Israeli government practices in international courts.In the meantime, the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council President Mohammad Al-Murr called for launching a diplomatic campaign in cooperation with the Organization of Muslim Cooperation to stand up against the Israeli encroachments in international organizations, especially the International Inter-Parliamentary Union.The State of Kuwait hosted, in April, the 12th session of the conference executive commission and the AIPU 19th conference. In 2012, the Gulf country hosted the 18th convention. The AIPU, formed on June 20, 1974, comprises Arab parliaments, legislative assemblies and consultative councils. It was officially proclaimed at the Arab Summit, held in Algeria, in 2004.