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 IPU Logo-middleInter-Parliamentary Union  
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115th IPU ASSEMBLY
(Geneva, 16-18 October 2006)

Contents:
  1. Opening of the proceedings
  2. Participation
  3. Choice of an Emergency Item
  4. Debates and decisions of the Assembly and its Standing Committees

1.   Opening of the proceedings

The 115th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union opened its proceedings at the Geneva International Conference Centre in the afternoon of Monday, 16 October 2006. The President of the IPU, Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini, welcomed the participants and declared the 115th Assembly officially open. Following the official opening, the President of the IPU was elected President of the Assembly and the Vice-President of the Executive Committee, Mrs. M. Mensah-Williams (Namibia), was elected Vice-President of the Assembly.

2.   Participation

Delegations of the parliaments of the following 128 countries took part in the work of the Assembly: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

The following Associate Members also took part in the Assembly: the Andean Parliament, the East African Legislative Assembly, the Latin American Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Observers included representatives of: (i) Palestine; (ii) United Nations system: United Nations, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Labour Organization (ILO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Heath Organization (WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), World Bank; (iii) International Organization for Migration (IOM), League of Arab States, African Parliamentary Union (APU), Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU), Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU), Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA), Confederation of Parliaments of the Americas, European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA), Inter-Parliamentary Association for the Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC), Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Inter-Parliamentary Commission of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and the Russian Federation, Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Members (PUOICM), Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy; and (iv) International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Furthermore, a delegation from Afghanistan participated as an observer with a view to future affiliation and a delegation from the Pan-African Parliament with a view to obtaining observer status. The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue was invited to follow the work of the Assembly as an observer in light of the items on the agenda.

Of the 1,165 delegates who attended the Assembly, 485 were members of national parliaments. The parliamentarians included 39 presiding officers, 24 deputy presiding officers and 148 women parliamentarians (30.5%).

3.   Choice of an emergency item (Item 2)

At the beginning of the consideration of the item on 16 October, the Assembly had before it one consolidated request for the inclusion of an emergency item, submitted by the delegations of Algeria and Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group, which also carried the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, entitled "The role of parliaments in further mobilizing the international community in efforts to rebuild Lebanon, support its development and its war-ravaged economy, and pursue just and lasting peace in the Middle East", and a proposal submitted by the delegation of Japan entitled "The announcement by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of its nuclear weapons test and the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation regime".

After a vote, the proposal submitted by the delegation of Japan was adopted and added to the agenda as item 7.

4.   Debates and decisions of the Assembly and its Standing Committees

(a) Debate on the emergency item

The announcement by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of its nuclear weapons test and the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation regime (Item 7)

The debate on the emergency item took place in the morning of Tuesday, 17 October. The meeting was chaired by Mr. R. Nin Novoa, President of the General Assembly and of the Senate of Uruguay. A total of 18 speakers from 17 parliamentary delegations and one observer took part in the debate.

The Assembly referred the item to a drafting committee composed of representatives of the delegations of Benin, Chile, China, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation. The drafting committee appointed Mr. J. Carter (New Zealand) as its president and rapporteur. It met on Tuesday, 17 October in the afternoon and on Wednesday, 18 October in the morning. It adopted a draft resolution by consensus.

On Wednesday, 18 October, the draft resolution was adopted by the Assembly, following a vote (click here for the text of the resolution). After the vote, the delegations of Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Lebanon, Namibia and Venezuela. took the floor to explain their vote. The delegations of India and Pakistan expressed reservations to preambular paragraph 1, as it did not refer to the States Party to the Treaty.

(b) First Standing Committee: Peace and International Security

(i) Cooperation between parliaments and the United Nations in promoting world peace, particularly from the perspectives of the fight against terrorism and energy security (Item 3)

The Committee held three sittings on 16 and 18 October, with its President, Mr. N. Al-Ghanem (Syrian Arab Republic), in the chair. In addition to a report and draft resolution prepared by the co-Rapporteurs, Mrs. A. Möller (Iceland) and Mrs. H. Mgabedeli (South Africa), the Committee had before it amendments and sub-amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the delegations of Algeria, Australia, Belgium, China, Cuba, Egypt, Germany, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Norway, Philippines, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

The first sitting began with the presentation of the report and draft resolution by Mrs. H. Mgabedeli of South Africa, in her capacity as co-Rapporteur; Mrs. A. Möller of Iceland was unable to attend the Assembly, due to election-related commitments at home. A total of 55 speakers from 52 parliaments and one organization took the floor during the debate. Following the debate, the Standing Committee appointed a drafting committee composed of representatives from Algeria, Belgium, Benin, Egypt, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Russian Federation, Sudan, Tunisia, United Kingdom and Venezuela. Mrs. Mgabedeli was also invited to participate in the work of the drafting committee, in an advisory capacity. The drafting committee met on 17 October. It appointed Mr. F.-X. de Donnea (Belgium) as president and Mr. V. Mongbe (Benin) as rapporteur. It examined 201 amendments and sub-amendments to the draft resolution, and adopted 65 of them in full or in part. A number of other amendments were accepted, if not in letter, then in spirit, as many were similar in content to the initial draft or to those that had been adopted.

On the morning of 18 October, the First Standing Committee considered the consolidated draft. Several delegations took the floor to express support for the text. The Committee endorsed the proposal of the drafting committee to slightly amend the title of the draft resolution, with a view to ensuring greater clarity of meaning. Three delegations submitted a total of four sub-amendments to the text, three of which were accepted by the Committee, while the fourth, which related to operative paragraph 4, was the subject of an extensive debate. Finally, a new sub-amendment was put forward as an alternative proposal and was accepted by the Committee. One delegation requested that its amendment, which had initially been rejected by the drafting committee, be reconsidered, and the amendment was accepted by the Committee. The revised draft resolution was subsequently adopted as a whole by consensus by the First Standing Committee. The delegation of Venezuela expressed a reservation on all the paragraphs dealing with energy security. The delegation of Israel expressed a reservation on operative paragraph 4.

In the afternoon of 18 October, the draft resolution was submitted to the plenary sitting of the Assembly, which adopted it by consensus. The delegation of Venezuela again expressed a reservation on all the paragraphs dealing with energy security. The delegation of Israel expressed its reservation on operative paragraph 4 and its objection to the manner in which this paragraph was amended in the third session of the First Standing Committee (click here for the text of the resolution).

(ii) Selection of subject item and co-Rapporteurs for the First Standing Committee at the 117th Assembly

The Bureau of the First Standing Committee met on 18 October to examine eight proposals for the subject item to be debated by the First Standing Committee at the 117th Assembly. It selected the subject item entitled The role of parliaments in striking a balance between national security, human security and individual freedoms; its choice was subsequently endorsed by the Committee, which also approved the nomination of Lord Morris of Aberavon (United Kingdom) as one of the co-Rapporteurs. The Asia-Pacific geopolitical Group indicated that it would be submitting the name of a second co-Rapporteur*.

(c) Second Standing Committee: Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade

(i) The role of parliaments in overseeing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular with regard to the problem of debt and the eradication of poverty and corruption (Item 4)

The Committee held two sittings on 16 and 18 October, with its President, Mr. A. Fomenko (Russian Federation), in the chair. In addition to a report and preliminary draft resolution prepared by the co-Rapporteurs, Mrs. Z. Bouayad (Morocco) and Mrs. A. Boumediene-Thiery (France), the Committee had before it amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the delegations of Algeria, Argentina, China, Cuba, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Norway, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Venezuela. A separate set of amendments was submitted by the Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians.

A total of 61 speakers from 55 countries and one international organization took the floor during the plenary debate, after which the Standing Committee appointed a drafting committee composed of representatives from Algeria, Bolivia, France, Indonesia, Monaco, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Sudan, Switzerland and Uruguay.

The drafting committee met in the morning and afternoon of 17 October. At the beginning of its work, it appointed Mrs. A. Boumediene-Thiery (France) as its president and Mrs. C. Ait Benamar (Algeria) as rapporteur. The committee examined 127 amendments to the preliminary draft resolution and adopted 63 of them, fully or in part. A number of other amendments were accepted, if not in letter, then in spirit, as many were similar in content to those that had been adopted. In the morning of 18 October, the Second Standing Committee considered the consolidated draft. Whereas most paragraphs were adopted without discussion, one of them was modified by vote. Three further proposed amendments were defeated by vote. The Committee also made a number of editorial changes. The amended draft resolution was thereafter adopted as a whole by consensus. At that point, the delegation of India expressed its reservation about the ninth preambular paragraph and the delegation of China about the nineteenth preambular paragraph.

In the afternoon of 18 October, the draft was submitted to the plenary sitting of the Assembly. An editorial correction in the second preambular paragraph was made at the request of the delegation of India, after which the draft was adopted by consensus (click here for the text of the resolution).

(ii) Selection of subject item and co-Rapporteurs for the Second Standing Committee at the 117th Assembly

The Bureau of the Second Standing Committee met on 18 October with the Committee's President, Mr. A. Fomenko, in the chair. It examined proposals submitted by IPU Members for the items to be debated by the Second Standing Committee at the 117th Assembly. The Bureau approved the subject item entitled Parliamentary oversight of State policies on foreign aid in the era of globalization, nominated Mr. E. Quenum Possy Berry (Benin) as the first co-Rapporteur on the item and proposed that the IPU President and the President of the Second Standing Committee engage in consultations with the geopolitical groups with a view to identifying the second co-Rapporteur as soon as possible. The Second Standing Committee agreed with that proposal.

(d) Third Standing Committee: Democracy and Human Rights

(i) Missing persons (Item 5)

The Committee held two sittings, on 16 and 18 October, with its President, Mr. J.-K. Yoo (Republic of Korea), in the chair. Mr. Yoo shared his duties with Mrs. R. Kadaga (Uganda), First Vice President. The Committee had before it a report and a draft resolution drawn up by the co Rapporteurs, Mrs. B. Gadient (Switzerland) and Mr. L. Nicolini (Uruguay), along with amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the delegations of Algeria, Argentina, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Philippines, Romania, Spain and Venezuela.

In all, 46 speakers took part in the debate, after which the Committee designated a drafting committee composed of representatives of Algeria,Benin, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Germany, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria and Switzerland.

The drafting committee met on 17 October. It began its work by naming Mr. M. Harb (Canada) as its president and its rapporteur. It considered the draft resolution in detail and improved the text by incorporating some of the proposed amendments.

On 18 October, the Committee considered the consolidated text of the draft resolution. The delegation of India expressed reservations about the applicability of international humanitarian law to situations of internal violence, on the visits to detention centres referred to in operative paragraph 4(a) and on the authorization of visits carried out by the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances mentioned in operative paragraph 9. The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed reservations about the eighteenth preambular paragraph and on the reference to internal violence in the first and tenth preambular paragraphs. The Committee also took note of the proposal of that delegation to refer to the situation of missing persons under foreign occupation. It then adopted the draft resolution by consensus.

In the afternoon of 18 October, the Assembly, meeting in plenary, adopted the resolution by consensus (click here for the text of the resolution).

(ii) Selection of subject item and co-Rapporteurs for the Third Standing Committee at the 117th Assembly

The Bureau of the Third Standing Committee met on 18 October to examine proposals submitted for the subject item to be debated by the Third Standing Committee at the 117th Assembly. The Bureau's choice, Empowering citizens through an effective right-to-information regime, was subsequently endorsed by the Committee. The Bureau's nomination of Mr. A. Bagbin (Ghana) and Ms. R.M. Albernaz (Portugal) as co Rapporteurs was also endorsed by the Committee.


* Pending a final decision on the reform proposals relating to the structure of the second annual Assembly, the Assembly took note of the proposals approved by the three Standing Committees, which will be considered at its 116th session.


Note: you can download a complete electronic version of the brochure "Results of the 115th Assembly and related meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union" in PDF format (file size approximately 493K). This version requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download free of charge.Get Acrobat Reader

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