ISLAMABAD April 5: Secretary-general of ruling Pakistan Muslim League and chairman Senate foreign relations committee Mushahid Hussain Syed on Wednesday urged Pakistan to invite a delegation of Hamas as was done by other countries of the region.

He said such a step was important for peace in the Middle East to politically engage the democratically elected government of the people of Palestine.

He was speaking at a luncheon he hosted for the visiting former French foreign minister Senator Jean Francois-Poncet who was also vice president of the French parliament’s committee for foreign affairs, defence and armed forces.

Mr Hussain said that the biggest challenge before the international community was to bridge the gap between the West and world of Islam and this could only be done after a number of initiatives and steps to be taken and France asked to play its role.

While appreciating France’s role in opposing the war in Iraq in 2003, he said that other steps that needed to be taken include engagement with the new Hamas government in Palestine, admission of Turkey into the European Union and urgent efforts to resolve the conflicts in Kashmir and Palestine.

PML official said that given the fact that France has the biggest population of Muslim of any European country there should be acceptance of the reality that Europe was now a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society.

He lauded the role of Russia, Turkey and China to the new government of Hamas in Palestine adding that he would urge the Pakistan government also o invite a delegation from Hamas to visit Pakistan since it as important for peace in the Middle East.

Earlier, during a formal meeting former French foreign minister Jean Francois Poncet supported enlightened moderation as correct approach to counter extremisms by presenting a positive political way forward in the Muslim world.