PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX TO OPEN
110th INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY IN MEXICO
At the invitation of the Mexican Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will hold its 110th statutory Assembly from 18 to 23 April 2004, at the Centro de Convenciones of the Sheraton Centro Histórico in Mexico City. The inaugural ceremony will take place at 7p.m on Sunday, 18 April, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Mexico, Mr. Vicente Fox, the President of the IPU Council, Chilean Senator Sergio Páez, the President of the Mexican Senate, Mr. Enrique Jackson, and the IPU Secretary General, Mr. Anders B. Johnsson.
Two panels will be held during the Assembly; both will be open to the press. The first, entitled "Human Rights: a casualty of the fight against terrorism?" will take place on Tuesday 20 April, from 16h30 to 18h30. The second will discuss "Commercial sexual exploitation of children", on Wednesday 21 April, from 9h30 to 12h30. It will be attended by US actress Jessica Lange, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. A press conference will take place after the event.
The 700 MPs expected in Mexico will also debate the role of parliaments in the field of international post-conflict reconciliation. The legislators will also examine the issue of trade in agricultural products and access to basic medicines, and the question of furthering parliamentary democracy in order to protect human rights and encourage reconciliation among peoples and nations.
The Meeting of women parliamentarians will be held on Sunday 18 April, from 9h30.
The 110th Assembly in Mexico will also give the delegates an opportunity to hold bilateral meetings and examine conflicts in various parts of the world. The IPU Committee on Middle East Questions, the Group of Facilitators for Cyprus, and the of Representatives of the Parties to the Process of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean (CSCM) will meet during the Assembly.
Finally, the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians will continue its examination of the many cases of violations of the human rights of MPs, including public cases in : Belarus, Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, Eritrea, Honduras, Indonesia, Palestine/Israel, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Rwanda, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey and Zimbabwe.
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Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, the IPU, the oldest multilateral organisation, currently has 138 affiliated national parliaments and five regional assemblies as associate members. The organisation of the world's parliaments also has an office as Permanent Observer with the United Nations in New York.
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