HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

Press Briefing

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), currently holding its Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments at Headquarters, has adopted a statement incorporating the views of participants on the inability of two presiding officers to obtain visas to attend the event, IPU Secretary-General Anders Johnsson told correspondents at a press conference today.

Participants also discussed the role of parliaments in dealing with issues related to globalization, democracy and United Nations reform. They are expected to adopt a final declaration at the conclusion of the Conference tomorrow, Friday 1 September.

More than 900 participants attended the Conference, which has been described as an historic event. They represented 141 countries and included 152 parliamentary Speakers and 412 Members of Parliament and delegates.

A correspondent asked about the lack of United States Congressional representation at the Conference, noting that that might undermine its activities.

That question might be more appropriately addressed to the United States Congress, Mr. Johnsson suggested. The organizers had originally invited the speakers of the two chambers -- Dennis Hastert and Trent Lott -- as well as Al Gore to attend. Mr. Gore had responded that he could not attend because of the Presidential election campaign. However, the others had not yet responded. While their absence was regrettable, it did not undermine the Conference. But their colleagues felt they might have benefitted from a United States presence.

Were United States Congressmen previously involved in IPU meetings? asked another correspondent. Mr. Johnsson pointed out that the United States Congress was a founding member of the IPU, and therefore had played a prominent role in the organization since 1889. A number of its members had been on the IPU Executive Committee and had been very influential in the construction of the organization. But with the changes that the end of the cold war had brought, there was an apparent lessening of interest in international cooperation. Since the middle of the 1990s, there had been little participation by the United States.

A correspondent asked Mr. Johnsson what proposals the IPU would be presenting to the upcoming Millennium Summit.

They would present the outcome of the Conference, which could be broken down into three areas, Mr. Johnsson responded. First, they would express their wish to have a number of issues, including the

IPU Press Conference - 2 - 31 August 2000

HIV/AIDS epidemic, addressed. They would also convey a message of political support to the United Nations; and they would suggest that Parliaments become more involved in ensuring that international cooperation be made more transparent and democratic.

Was there any guarantee that Member States would implement the IPU proposals? another correspondent enquired.

"No", replied Mr. Johnsson, adding that there was, however, the will to make it happen.

Following up, a correspondent wanted to know what kind of relationship the organization intended to foster with the United Nations.

The Secretary-General had said during his opening speech that during his tenure, he always tried to establish good relations with parliaments and to strengthen relations with the IPU, said Mr. Johnsson. During the debate in the Conference, speakers acknowledged that the relationship needed to be better. It was currently governed by a cooperation agreement completed in 1996, which did not really modify the original status that was granted to the IPU by the United Nations in 1947. IPU members thought that was unacceptable.

It seemed as if some political issues had come to the fore during the Conference deliberations, a correspondent noted, particularly that of the Middle East. Was that development an unexpected one?

Mr. Johnsson said that when political leaders gathered together, they were expected to address issues that were high on their agenda.

Could you comment on the evolution of the IPU advocacy processes? asked a correspondent.

When the IPU started in 1889, said Mr. Johnsson, it was the first international political institution in existence, and it advocated the need for countries to negotiate and find solutions rather than go to war. Since then, the world had gone through a number of changes, particularly during the last decade with the advent of globalization and the adoption by a number of international organizations of guidelines that affect the everyday life of people in their own communities. Consequently, parliaments were beginning to sense that they were being left behind and were unable to represent people in all spheres of life. They were therefore recognizing that, among other factors, there was a need to ensure that the benefits of globalization were shared more equitably.

A correspondent asked what Pakistan’s current status was in the IPU.

Mr. Johnsson said the IPU was made up of elected parliaments. However, when there was no parliament in a country, that country automatically left the organization and could not return until its parliament was restored. Currently, Pakistan was in that situation.

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