The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, Mr. Dennis Hastert, representing the parliament of the host country, will join the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Chilean Senator Sergio Páez, and the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Mr. Jean Ping (Gabon), in opening the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, 7 September 2005.

The Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, will address the Conference on Thursday, 8 September. More than 150 Speakers have confirmed their participation in this event, which will continue until Friday, 9 September.

The Speakers will be coming to New York to bring their vision of multilateral cooperation to the hub of international politics, and will seek to bridge the democracy gap in international relations. They will discuss ways to deepen the involvement of parliaments in international affairs and to support efforts to build a strong, effective and reformed United Nations. The Speakers will also review a proposed new framework of criteria and good practices aimed at advancing democracy through the institution of parliament.

Their final Declaration will be presented to the Summit of Heads of State and Government that will take place at the same venue from 14 to 16 September 2005.

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Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organisation, currently brings together 141 affiliated parliaments and seven regional assemblies as associate members. The world organisation of parliaments has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer at the United Nations.
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Contact for additional information or interviews:

In Geneva: Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer 5, ch. du Pommier, CH - 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex / Geneva Tel. +41 22 919 41 16/27 Fax: +41 22 919 41 60 E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org In New-York: Mr. Alessandro Motter, Liaison Officer, Office of the Permanent Observer at the United Nations in New York Tel.: +1 212 557 58 80 E-mail: am@mail.ipu.org or ny-office@mail.ipu.org