MNA � The third meeting of Speakers of Eurasian�Countries' Parliaments has kicked off in Turkey�s Antalya, with parliamentary heads and delegations from 38 countries, including Iran, in attendance.







The two-day event opened at the Kaya Palazzo Hotel in Antalya, Turkey, this morning with a video message by Turkish President Erdogan.

Speakers of 20 countries� parliaments and delegations from 17 Asian and European countries are taking part in the meeting, comprising around 700 officials convened in the Turkish resort city to discuss cooperation on economic and environmental issues, and sustainable development.

The meeting is organized under the theme "Economic Cooperation, Environment and Sustainable Development in Eurasia�, and aims to evaluate the obstacles facing sustainable development at a global and regional level, and to increase international cooperation to remove them.

Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker, Binali Yildirim, delivered a speech at the meeting, saying the meeting aims to solve global issues through diploamcy and joint cooperation.

He added that joint cooperation was required among Eurasian�countries to resolve the Syrian crisis, the situation of Arakanese Muslims in Myanmar, the Palestinian issue, as well as enviomrnetal issues such as the drying up of the Urmia Lake in Iran, dust storms, climate change and air pollution.

Yildirim further called for collective efforts in combating terrorism, urging countries to refrain from adopting a double-standard approach toward this scourge.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani is also expected to deliver a speech at the meeting, as well as to hold bilateral sideline meetings with a number of his counterparts.

Larijani has already met and talked with parliament speakers of Russia, Turkey and Pakistan.

The previous editions of the meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries' Parliaments were hosted by South Korea and Russia.