IPU ready to provide its expertise in the reconstruction of institutions in Iraq

Among the parliamentarians in attendance in Santiago were 24 Presiding Officers of Parliament. From left to right : Mr. Mohammed Naji Otari (Syria), Mr. Jorge Chapper (Uruguay), Mr. Amusaa Mwanamwambwa (Zambia), Mr. Kandy Nehova (Namibia), Mr. Reuven Rivlin (Israel), Mr. Abdelwahed Radi (Morocco), Mr. Ouattara Famabaré Natchaba (Togo), Mr. Roch Marc Kaboré (Burkina Faso), Mr. Klaus Wanger (Liechtenstein), Mr. Sergey Zhalybin (Kazakstan), Mr. Anders B. Johnsson (IPU Secretary General), Mr. Vadim Popov (Belarus), Mr. Neil Andrew (Australia), Mr. Raranath Ranabhat (Nepal), Mrs Ingrida Udre (Latvia), Mr. Sergio Páez (President of the IPU), Mrs Isabel Allende and Mr. Andrés Zaldívar (Chile), Mr. Roberto De Almeida (Angola), Mr. Guy Nzouba-Ndama (Gabon) and Mr. Rory Kiely (Ireland). Photo IPU/J. Inostrosa.

The representatives of 117 national parliaments, including 24 Presiding Officers, who met in Santiago (Chile) from 6 to 12 April 2003 to attend the 108th Inter-Parliamentary Conference, adopted four resolutions, including one on Iraq. In the latter resolution, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) stressed that it was ready to provide its expertise in the reconstruction of institutions in Iraq.

In a meeting in London with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, Mr. Jack Straw, the President of the IPU, Chilean Senator Sergio Páez discussed the possible involvement of the IPU in supporting the UN’s work geared to the development of democratic institutions in Iraq. "I hope that the IPU will be able to play a significant role in assisting the interim Government in Iraq", the Foreign Secretary told him.

The Chairman of the IPU British Group, Mr. John Austin, supports this initiative. In a letter sent to Mr. Straw, Mr. Austin emphasised that the IPU could offer its experience in the field. He also underscored that MPs had a valuable role to play in assisting new parliaments on the road to democracy.

As for the participation of the US Congress in the IPU, Mr. Austin also asked Mr. Straw to bring this question up, "at appropriate times in meetings with the President, Secretary of State and others".

Interview with Mr. John Austin, Chairman of the IPU British Group

"The IPU can be useful in Iraq and, hopefully, in Saudi Arabia"

Q : What do you think of the proposal that the IPU President, Senator Sergio Páez, made to the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Jack Straw, concerning the IPU's possible involvement in the development of democratic institutions in Iraq?
John Austin: I think that Senator Páez raised an important issue with Jack Straw. I think that the Foreign Secretary responded positively. He recognised that other parliaments have helped in the reconstruction of Europe. I have been involved here in the United Kingdom in an organisation that is working with the newly emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe in capacity building of newly elected parliamentarians in various countries. I think the Foreign Secretary recognised that parliamentarians from other legislatures can be of help. Moreover, I have written to him in connection with the IPU.

Q : How do you think that can be done concretely ?
J.A.: I have been involved with Eastern Europe in a whole range of seminars about good governance, accountability, holding the executive to account and parliamentary procedures. As Speaker Martin said, we do not have all the answers, we may have something to learn from the newer democracies and I think that is certainly true in the United Kingdom. Now we have devolved government to Wales and Scotland. In Scotland, they are not doing things exactly as Westminster does, they are doing it in a different way. Actually, their approach to pre-legislative scrutiny is better than ours ! It is the exchange that is enriching ! One of the organisations I have been involved with here is a Dutch-based East-West parliamentary practice project that has brought together a team of parliamentarians from different countries with different patterns, different procedures. We have organised a series of seminars in Russia, in Albania, not saying this is the way to do it, but saying this is a way of doing it and talking through the issues about being a responsible parliamentary democracy. And surely the IPU is best suited to do this in Iraq and, hopefully, in Saudi Arabia. Now that the Saudis are members, hopefully they will be moving towards a more parliamentary process.