Damascus - The representatives of the Asian Parliaments participating in the 5th Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) on Tuesday underlined the necessity of Israel's withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories to the line of June 4th 1967 including the Syrian Golan and Shebaa Farms and Kafr Shuba Hills in Lebanon.
The participants also called for establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, underlying the importance of the Palestinian refugees' return to their homeland according to the UN General Assembly's Resolution No. 194, stressing the right of peoples and occupied countries to restore their lands in all possible ways including the legitimate resistance.
The APA concluding statement stressed the importance of establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East and demanding that Israel join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and put all of its nuclear facilities under the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in implementation of the international legitimacy resolutions to guarantee the regional and international peace and security.
The statement considered using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against the countries which don't possess such weapons as a terrorist act.
The representatives of the parliaments stressed the inalienable right of the developing countries to develop their nuclear programs and researches for peaceful energy, condemning Israel's hostile acts against the Lebanese sovereignty and its attempts to undermine its stability.
They indicated that the integrated Asian energy market will help the Asian countries reduce the risks and costs of energy in the continent, calling upon the Asian governments to stop carbon emissions which affect the phenomenon of global warming.
With regard to protecting and respecting the cultural diversity in Asia, the participants denounced the Israeli attempts aimed at destroying the cultural heritage of the citizens of the occupied Syrian Golan and the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Jerusalem.
They urged the international organizations including the UN to continue their demand that Israel withdraw from al-Ibrahimi and Bilal Bin Rabah Mosques, highlighting the important role of the parliaments in enhancing the cultural and national policies and protecting the Asian cultural heritage.
The participants called upon the Asian parliaments to support the participation of women in the decision-making process in their countries.
They indicated that tolerance is one of the supreme human values as it includes respecting the cultural diversity as a source of power in Asia, stressing the responsibility of the parliaments in enhancing anti-racial discrimination values.
The concluding statement called for combating the smuggling of antiquities out of Asia to protect the Asian cultural heritage.
Concerning the role of the Asian parliaments in enhancing the UN comprehensive strategy on combating terrorism and resisting occupation, the participants stressed that foreign occupation threatens international peace and security, adding that the nations suffering from occupation have a legitimate right to resist and to determine their destiny according to the relevant UN resolutions.
They underlined the importance of developing a comprehensive strategy for combating terrorism and addressing the reasons behind it, expressing their strong condemnation of international and cross-border terrorism.
The participants expressed deep concern over Israel's violations of the resolutions and recommendations of the UN Security Council, UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council in the occupied Palestinian territories.
They stressed that the Israeli siege on Gaza Strip and closing the crossings is a mass punishment and a dangerous violation of the international human law through undermining the international efforts aimed at achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region.
The statement condemned Israel's continued policy of building settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem which constitutes a violation of the international legitimacy resolutions and hinders the achievement of peace.
The participants expressed thanks and appreciation for Syria under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad and for the Syrian Government and the People's Assembly chaired by its Speaker Dr. Mahmoud al-Abrash for their warm welcome and hospitality, as well as the high- quality organization of the APA Conference.
They indicated that Syria's chairmanship of the APA in the next two years is a great opportunity for making new achievements and enhancing the Assembly's international role.
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2010
