2004 News Story
 
04/21/2004
Shura Council members address IPU conference in Mexico

Addressing the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Mexico City yesterday, member of the Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura) Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Fayez reiterated Saudi Arabia’s concern for global peace and security, and stated these require a collective international effort under the umbrella of the United Nations. Recent developments in the Middle East, he said, confirm the importance of settling the Arab-Israeli dispute in accordance with UN resolutions; and similarly, the reconstruction of Iraq needs to be under the UN umbrella, and not in line with the desires of one particular country.

In his speech to the standing committee for democracy and human rights, Dr. Muhammad Al-Hilwa outlined the progress of the Shura Council in the Kingdom, and the attention Saudi Arabia has been giving to the issue of human rights, which, he said, are protected in the Saudi system of governance, in line with the teachings of Islam. Citing the fact that the recently-established non-governmental National Human Rights Association (NHRA) includes ten women members, 25 percent of the total, he reiterated the Kingdom’s concern to enable Saudi women to practice their rights in accordance with Shariah [Islamic Law].


In an address to the standing committee for sustainable development, finance and trade, Abdul-Muhsin Al-Akas stated that while the current global economic changes are good for advanced nations, they will have an adverse impact on developing countries, which cannot compete. He confirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for sustainable development in line with fair standards of economy and trade.

 

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