THE FINANCIAL CRISIS TO BE DISCUSSED AS AN EMERGENCY ITEM AT THE 119TH IPU ASSEMBLY

At the 119th IPU Assembly, which opened today in Geneva, legislators from over 130 countries adopted an emergency item entitled The role of parliaments in containing the global financial crisis and its economic impact both on developing and developed countries. The item was submitted by the delegation of the United Arab Emirates, with the support of the delegations of Belgium, Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Mexico.

In the morning, the IPU Governing Council agreed to admit the parliaments of Comoros, Oman and Sierra Leone. It also amended the Organization's Statutes to give effect to its earlier decision to admit the Parliament of Palestine as a full-fledged Member of the IPU. The actual vote on the admission of Palestine as a Member of the IPU will take place on Wednesday.