DAMASCUS, (SANA) – During a session on Sunday chaired by Speaker Mohammad Jihad al-Laham, the People's Assembly passed a bill on ratifying an agreement between Syria and the International Center for Geopolitical Analysis and Commercial Cooperation in Moscow for establishing a joint center for geopolitical, commercial, economic, scientific, technical and financial cooperation.

The Assembly also passed a bill on granting the craftsmen general federation the authority to issue its own election procedures, and a bill on amending the law for currency exchange companies.

The Assembly marked the 42nd anniversary of the Correctionist Movement led by President Hafez al-Assad, with Speaker al-Laham noting that the Correctionist Movement sought to boost national unity and Arab solidarity, pointing out that Arab relations are now witnessing a dangerous decline due to some countries' subservience to foreign forces and their conspiring against Syria by funding and arming terrorists.

The Assembly also denounced  the barbaric Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip, saying that this aggression shows the savage nature of the Israeli occupation and is part of the futile efforts to break the Palestinian people.

The Assembly members called on Arab countries to support the Palestinian people in Gaza rather than arm and find terrorists in Syria, saying that the aggression on Gaza is part of the plan to divide the region and destabilize it.

For his part, Assembly member Abdelwahed Razzouq pointed out to the siege, killings and terrorism targeting civilians in the town of Harem in Idleb province at the hands of terrorist groups.

Speaker al-Laham saluted the Syrian Arab Army and its sacrifices for protecting Syria and its people and preserving its independence and pan-Arab course, affirming that the Syrian Arab Army will spare no effort in protecting civilians and defending them across Syria.

The Assembly also referred a number of bills to the constitutional affairs committee for scrutiny, and ratified a number of legislative decrees.

The members' written questions were referred to the proper bodies through the Prime Ministry, with the questions discussing the possibility of an amnesty for administrative penalties of state workers, along with a number of issues related to waste disposal, irrigation, health, fuel, agriculture, higher education, banking, among other issues.

The session was adjourned until 12 PM on Monday.

H. Sabbagh