FNC, IPU explore avenues of joint cooperation

Abu Dhabi: Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of Federal National Council (FNC) yesterday held a session of discussion with the visiting President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Mr. Abdelwahad Radi, over ways of enhancing FNC-IPU relations of cooperation. Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi, First Deputy of the FNC, FNC members in the IPU, Dr. Mohammed Salim Al Mazrouie, FNC Secretary General, and Martin Chungong, Deputy Secretary General of IPU, attended the meeting. Al Murr welcomed the IPU president to the UAE and his participation the parliamentary media forum the FNC is hosting tomorrow. He affirmed the FNC's keenness actively participate in all IPU's activities and events, submit proposals and initiatives on various issues and provide logistical support for developing and improving work mechanisms in the IPU. He added the media forum is a fruit of the constructive cooperation and exchange of expertise between the FNC and IPU. For his part, the IPU president expressed his thanks to the FNC for inviting him to participate in the forum, the first of its kind in the Arab World, and called for investing the forum's discussions and recommendations to promote democracy through deepening the relationship between parliaments and citizens in areas of decision-making on matters concerning the public. He expressed the IPU's hope that the FNC would act as a liaison point between the IPU and the Arab parliaments given the UAE status as a haven of progress, stability, freedom and democracy as well as its good relations with several countries and international organisations. He lauded the FNC as an active partner to the IPU for its contributions, initiatives and suggestions. – Emirates News Agency, WAM