The 118th Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) on Friday called on the parliamentarians worldwide to undertake more responsibility in promoting international peace and security.

The IPU assembly, concluded at the same day, said that peace and security are critical factors in creating an environment conducive to international cooperation and development.

But the parliamentarians at the assembly are deeply concerned about the rapidly escalating violence and grievous harm to life in the areas affected by conflicts, the IPU said.

There are numerous unresolved conflicts across the world characterized by ongoing killing, raping of women, shelling of civilians, the internal displacement of people and a massive impact on environmental degradation, it added.

The IPU Assembly said that the only means of ensuring a lasting and peaceful resolution of conflicts is through peaceful dialogues.

The assembly reaffirmed the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, peaceful coexistence and nonaggression in stabilizing world peace and stability.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2008)