PUIC approves UAE's proposal on Islamic Parliamentary Declaration

Tehran: The 9th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) yesterday endorsed a UAE proposal on establishment of the Islamic Parliamentary after reviewing the report of the Meeting of Experts on the Islamic Parliamentary Declaration. Iran is hosting the two-day conference. PUIC secretary general has decided to send the file to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for review on the upcoming OIC summit, taking into consideration the report of the third Meeting of Experts on the Islamic Parliamentary Declaration. Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of Federal National Council (FNC), said the UAE proposal had received approval of OIC member states and this is an achievement for the UAE parliamentary division. Al Murr added that the UAE proposal seeks to strengthen the legal status of PUIC and develop its decision-making process so as to become the parliamentary arm of OIC with a mandate to ensure greater opportunities for joint Islamic cooperation. ''The Islamic Parliament will provide essential step towards broader cooperation between OIC member states through an action plan that has specific principles and targets to address the most pressing challenges facing the Islamic countries,' 'he said. In 2011, the UAE presented the proposal on drafting a declaration on creation of the Islamic Parliament to the 13th session of PUIC, held in Abu Dhabi. The draft Islamic Parliamentary Declaration includes introduction and a number of principles, objectives and five-year work plan to develop the role of Islamic parliamentary in addressing the challenges facing the Islamic Ummah, its stability and security as well as its development. – Emirates News Agency, WAM