A big presence of international dignitaries and members of the General assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is the world’s parliaments, reflects the confidence of the entire world on the State of Qatar. It also shows appreciation of international community to Qatar’s efforts in serving regional and international issues including education, health and sustainable development.
This great assembly of dignitaries highlights Qatar’s international standing at various levels under the leadership of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani who graced the opening of 140th IPU session and related meetings, last evening. Such appreciation and successful gathering of parliamentarians coming from different parts of the world, certainly disturbs siege countries who issued few days ago a joint statement objecting to, the last moment and upon governments’ wishes, Doha hosting this high-profile meeting.
Ironically, these countries agreed or at least did not object when the IPU decided to host its 140th session in Qatar, a fact which was clearly explained by the Speaker of the Shura Council, H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud during a joint press conference held yesterday with H E the President of the IPU, Gabriela Cuevas Barron, and H E the Secretary-General of the IPU, Martin Chungong.
Al Mahmoud strongly rejected the claims and fabrications made by the siege countries which he considered a desperate attempt to use the IPU’s platform to promote its political agenda against the State of Qatar.
The Speaker highlighted that the four states imposing the unjust siege on Qatar “did not present a joint statement to the general secretariat of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) during the 139th assembly objecting to having Qatar host the 140th assembly”.
His Excellency also said that such a statement, “If such statement existed, would have been known by all participants and would have been available in the IPU’s assembly meeting’s minutes are all available on the internet for anyone who wanted to verify the said the speaker adding that “the State of Qatar would also have been notified of the objection, in line with protocol”. A fact has been reaffirmed by the Secretary-General of the IPU, Martin Chungong.
Furthermore, H E pointed out that the only country which expressed its reservation was Syria during the 139th assembly and what the siege countries have said in their statement was “filled with the same false accusations they have been launching since they imposed the unjust siege on the State of Qatar”.
The actual response to the allegations made by the siege counties is the significant presence of the international dignitaries including speakers and parliament members from all over the world which proves the false accusations of the blockading countries.
