Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva, 24 July 1996
N° 55

An agreement to broaden and deepen co-operation between the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations Organization, in particular in promoting representative democracy, is being signed at UN headquarters in New York today by the two world organizations.

The agreement was called for last November by the UN General Assembly during its 50^th anniversary session. The General Assembly resolution stated that the IPU's activities complement and support the work of the United Nations, and that co-operation needed to be strengthened and given a proper framework.

Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali will sign for the United Nations, and Dr Ahmed Fathy Sorour, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Council (IPU governing body), and Pierre Cornillon, IPU Secretary General, for the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The IPU, which currently brings together 133 national parliaments, is the world organization of parliaments. It is the oldest international organization working for peace and co-operation among peoples - it was created in 1889 - and provided the first forum for multilateral negotiations on issues of peace and security. It was also the main advocate for the establishment of a world organization of governments, which came into being as the United Nations.

The IPU, through its conferences which bring together MPs of all political leanings, serves as a testing ground for new ideas and initiatives leading to important breakthroughs in the search for peace and advancing international co-operation. Its permanent programmes include the promotion of free and fair elections and parliamentary democracy, and other subjects which help underpin true democracy, such as promoting women in parliament and defending the human rights of parliamentarians, for example, to free speech.

The preamble to the new agreement recognizes in particular "the important role played by the IPU through its activities in promoting representative democracy".

In remarks planned for the signing ceremony (12.15 p.m., New York time), the UN Secretary-General, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, said the IPU was "an essential element of world representation", and characterized the agreement as "an important step in sealing co-operation which I always want to be closer and more fruitful".

"This text reinforces the ties that go back a long way between our two institutions, in numerous areas and in particular in the service of peace, human rights and democracy," Boutros-Ghali stated. "We all know the important role that parliaments play in today's world. They are indisputably one of the new actors in international life."

The President of the IPU Council, Dr Ahmed Fathy Sorour, said: "The agreement allows for substantial co-operation between the world organization of governments and the world organization of parliaments - thus better expressing the will of the people at the international level."

According to the IPU Secretary General, Pierre Cornillon, the agreement is "the natural result of the changes that have taken place in the world over the last decade. Geopolitical changes have placed international political dialogue and co-operation in an entirely new context, and there has been a growing adherence to representative democracy, with the role of parliaments being substantially enhanced.

"This evolution has found its reflection at the international level and the promotion of representative democracy is today very much part of international co-operation. Indeed, representative democracy is making headway into the very structures for international co-operation."

The agreement, which will enter into force immediately upon signing, contains eight articles. These include a section on general principles of co-operation in which the UN recognizes that the IPU "plays an important role in promoting peace and international co-operation" in furtherance of the UN Charter, and where the IPU undertakes to "support" the UN's activities.

Other articles cover such areas as co-operation and consultations, appropriate representation at meetings of the other organization, joint action and technical co-operation, co-operation between the secretariats, and exchange of information and documents.

For further information, please contact:
IPU Information Officer, Robin Newmann, tel: (41.22) 919.41.50/25