His Majesty King Abdullah held a lunch banquet for heads of the Arab parliamentary delegations on Monday, where he voiced hope that the conference would strengthen Arab solidarity and institutionalize democracy and public participation in political life.



King Abdullah expressed said the conference deliberations were an important component of achieving joint Arab action to serve Arab interests and to counter the challenges to its progress and prosperity.



Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri was the keynote speaker at the luncheon. Berri thanked the King for hosting the conference, saying, "We know your country at this political moment is at its highest degree of alertness as it is geographically and historically in close contact with the Palestinian problem and the Iraqi issue. We know that occupation, in both cases, can never be human and can only generate violence and anarchy."



Berri also commended the King's concern about Lebanon's issues. "We know what harms Lebanon and Syria can also be harmful to Jordan, and we know that terror is knocking at our doors and threatening our borders and societies," Berri said.



Kuwaiti Speaker of Parliament Jassem Al Khurafi also thanked the King for his constructive role in strengthening inter-Arab relations.