Speaker of the People's Assembly Mohammad Jihad al-Laham on Monday directed letters to parliament speakers and MPs from a number of friendly countries inviting them to dispatch parliamentarians and election experts to follow up on the upcoming presidential elections in Syria.
"It is my pleasure to invite you to send a group of members of your reverend parliaments and experts in electoral affairs from your friendly countries to follow up on the presidential elections in our country," the letter said.
The letter reiterated that the presidential vote in Syria has been set for 3 June and holds out the prospect of "a genuine presidential race" in which 24 hopefuls from different threads and parties represent various social and political stripes of the Syrian society.
Laham invited parliamentarians from friendly countries to familiarize themselves with the election process "out of our belief in your objective position in support of the Syrian people and their right to elect their presidential candidate and decide their political future fairly, freely and transparently and without foreign interference."
He said he would welcome friendly parliamentarians and experts to join in examining "this free democratic process that is taking place in an atmosphere of competition among a number of presidential candidates for the first time in Syria's history."
Laham said the Syrian people will have their say as they will be freely and democratically choosing their president despite coming under a systematic political and media war waged by Western and Arab media institutions.
"Those parties can't hide their rage at seeing the Syrian presidential election held on time as constitutionally scheduled," he said. "Rather, they are blatantly interfering in the elections although they are a sovereign affair and a domestic issue that concerns the Syrians alone as they are the ones to decide their results by themselves in line with the national and international laws."
The speaker used the opportunity to express appreciation of the parliaments and peoples of the friendly countries "that have always been truly supportive of the Syrian people."
He hailed those countries for supporting Syria's unity and sovereignty and its people's right to choose their political future without foreign dictations or interferences.
Laham also praised the friendly countries for their rejection of internationally-led takfiri terrorism against the Syrian people that has now continued for three years.
The letters were directed to Chairman of Russia's State Duma Sergey Naryshkin, Chairperson of Russia's Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, Chairman of the National People's Congress of China Zhang Dejiang, Speaker of the Lok Sabha (The House of the People of India) Meira Kumar, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa Max Max Sisulu, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Henrique Eduardo Alves, President of the National Assembly of Venezuela Diosdado Cabello-Rondon, President of the Cuban National Assembly of People's Power Esteban Hernandez, Chairman of the National Assembly of Nicaragua Santos René Nٌْez Téllez, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Bolivia Marcelo William Elio Chavez, Chairperson of the National Assembly of Ecuador Gabriela Rivadeneira and Chairman of Armenia's Parliament Galust Sahakian.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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