Mohammedmian Soomro, Chairman of the Pakistani Senate, stressed on Friday the need for parliaments to forge close partnership to help prevent cultural stereotyping and religious defamation.

Speaking at the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, he said that at this sensitive juncture, cultural stereotyping and defamation of religions can seriously undermine all efforts and initiatives aimed at promoting harmony and understanding among cultures and civilizations.

"National parliaments should develop closer partnerships to prevent pernicious attempts to link violent acts of isolated individuals with any specific religion, region or culture," he said, stressing this is critical for global peace and security.

He noted that terrorism with extremism has emerged as one of the major security issues of the present times, and a comprehensive strategy, implemented through multilateral means, is needed to deal with this threat.

"Our strategy must address the root causes of this problem, particularly political and economic injustices and regional asymmetries of weaponry," he added.

He called for more active role of the parliaments in promoting "just solutions to situations of grave political injustices prevailing in territories under foreign occupation," adding that it is the parliaments' responsibility to monitor the treatment of the occupied people and facilitate the realization of their inalienable right of self determination in accordance with the UN Charter.

Noting that peace and development are interdependent, Soomro said parliaments should promote efforts for job and income creation so as to eradicate poverty that so crudely threatens human security.

Parliamentary leaders from national parliaments of more than 150 countries and regional parliamentary organizations attended the three-day conference.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2005)