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The Honourable Senator Donald H. Oliver attended the meeting of the IPU Asia-Pacific Working Group in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 14, 2011. The meeting was hosted by the Indonesian Parliament, as Indonesia was chairing the IPU Asia-Pacific Group (APG). The meeting was attended by parliamentary delegations from Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Indonesia, Iran and the Republic of Korea. China, Japan, India, Thailand and Vietnam were represented by their embassies’ officials and attended as observers. The meeting was opened by His Excellency Dr. Marzuki Alie, Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives. In his opening remarks, the Speaker reminded the participants that the Asia-Pacific Group was one of the most significant geopolitical groups under the IPU. But its influence is still weak and it should seek to play a greater role so to be able to fight for the interests of the region and fulfill the needs of its various peoples, i.e. the commitment for democracy, fairness and equal opportunity. The Working Group meeting was chaired by the Hon. Dr. Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, MP, Chair of the Women Parliamentarians of the IPU. The Working Group Agenda items were: 1) the IPU Strategic Plan 2012-2017; 2) Review of the Asia-Pacific Rules of Procedure; 3) Asia-Pacific Specific Issues; 4) Other matters. 1. The IPU Strategic Plan 2012-2017 The Working Group made several proposed amendments of the Draft IPU Strategic Plan in view of its final adoption at the IPU Assembly in Bern, in October 2011. About the IPU Vision, the APG proposed to add that the organization advance the rule of law, democratic values, culture, through cooperation among parliaments. It added that prosperity be added to peoples’ aspiration for peace, human rights, gender equality and development. On the draft Strategic Plan section on building parliamentary supports for international development goals, the Working Group suggested to add environmental degradation to the work area pertaining to climate change. On the matters energy and natural resources, the Group proposed to strengthen parliamentary action on energy and natural resources, in a world facing energy scarcity due to limited sources of non-renewable energy, in a context of unstoppable energy consumption and population growth. Energy diversification and the use of renewable energies should be world goals. The Working Group also proposed that the IPU Strategy address natural disasters through disaster-risk management legislation at the national and international levels. The Working Group discussed the relationship between the building of better parliament and stronger democracies as a contribution to peace-building and conflict prevention. Since the IPU provides additional support to parliaments in countries facing or emerging from conflict in cooperation with the UN and its Peace-building Commission. The Working Group suggested that the Strategic Plan includes the task of working in line with the UN Charter in order to: a) develop parliamentary measures to address any international actions taken contrary to the UN Charter, including military intervention, aggression and foreign occupation; b) to facilitate political reconciliation and parliamentary diplomacy in post-conflict situations. Finally, the Working Group also agreed that the proposed Strategic Plan be implemented under the existing budget framework. 2. Review of the APF Rules of Procedure The Working Group also examined its Rules of Procedure in order to strengthen organizational aspects of the Asia-Pacific Group. The Working Group proposed to amend the Rules in order to add meetings at IPU Assembly beyond the statutory meeting held the day of the inaugural ceremony. It also agreed that the Working Group shall be convened prior to each IPU Assembly to take decisions on all IPU issues that affect the region, and report the results at the first meeting of the full Group at the IPU Assembly. 3. Asia-Pacific Region Specific Issues The Working Group discussed various regional issues, but it was decided that while recognizing the importance to resolve these issues, they should be considered as far as they impact on global communities. 4. Other matters Indonesia raised the issue of the vacancy for the IPU Presidency 2011-2014 and Dr. Nurhayati Ali Assegaf made a presentation on her vision for the future leadership of the IPU. The participants welcomed and supported the leadership concept presented. Respectfully submitted,
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