AAPP delegates call for more dialogue, exchange
( 2002-04-19 11:08 ) (8 )

Delegates for the annual meeting of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) Thursday called for more dialogue and exchange to promote international stability and common prosperity.

Focusing on economic globalization, multi-polarization and world peace as well as the establishment of new international political and economic order, the foreign delegates agreed that peace is the premise of development and the only road to prosperity.

Jassim Mohammad Al-Khorafi, president of the National Assembly of Kuwait, said that during the world's multi-polarization process, countries, big or small, rich or poor, must be treated equally.

He said that international community should strictly observe the principles stipulated by the Charter of the United Nations and strive to solve bilateral or multi-lateral disputes through negotiation and consultation.

As all countries are citizens of the world, any violation of the rules will cause an obstruction to global cooperation and create more unnecessary hatred, he said.

Lee Man-Sup, speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, said that the abuse of force and revenge can never lead to peace and the punishment of terrorism must be carefully carried out to prevent the expansion of terrorism.

He appealed for the international community to take specific measures to defuse the tension in the Middle East and solve the issue on the Korean Peninsular peacefully.

Tun M. Zahir Ismai, speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, said that economic globalization has brought more challenges than opportunities to developing countries as the world' s gap between the rich and the poor is constantly widening.

Tumur-Ochir Sanjbegz, Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia, said that although the globalization process is still in the primary stage, a tremendous impact has been felt across the world.

Therefore, he called for deeper international exchanges to combat global problems like international crimes, terrorism, money laundering and drug trafficking.

Delegates from Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Russia, the Philippines, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan also took the floor, calling for the AAPP to play its unique role in boosting cooperation among parliamentary organizations within Asia and the world at large.