Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva, 29 May 2001
N° 116

The Committee on Middle East Questions of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will carry out, from 2 to 6 June 2001, a fact-finding mission in Israel and the territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority. The Committee, which is chaired by French MP Yves Tavernier, will hold talks with the Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian authorities.

Meetings have been scheduled with the Speaker of the Knesset, Mr. Avraham Burg, the Israeli Minister of Justice, Mr. Meir Scheetrit and the President of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Mr. Ahmad Qurei "Abu Ala".

The IPU Committee will start its mission in Amman, where it will meet the Speaker of the Jordanian parliament, Mr. Abdulhadi Majali and with the Speaker of the Palistine National Council, Mr. Saleem Al-Za'noon.

The IPU Middle East Committee is composed of Mr. Yves Tavernier (France), Mr. Raymond Ahaouandjinou (Benin), Mrs Pensak Chagsuchinda (Thailand), Mr. Saeed A. El-Alfi (Egypt), Mr. Andreas Philippou (Cyprus) and Mrs. Oddbjorg Ausdal Starrfelt (Norway).

Created in 1987, the IPU’s Committee on Middle East Questions has a mandate to foster direct contacts between the Arab and Israeli delegations and promote parliamentary action in support of the peace process. The Committee meets during Statutory Conferences and at special sessions to hear the Arab and Israeli delegations.

Founded in 1889 and based in Geneva, the IPU currently has 141 affiliated national parliaments and five regional assemblies as associate members. It also has a Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York