AIPO heads to ink joint statement

The Asean Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) 27th General Assembly concludes Thursday in Cebu with the signing of a Joint Communiqué by the heads of eight member-delegations embodying the new initiatives and changes approved during Speaker Jose de Venecia’s presidency of the body.

The drafting committee started work on the joint communiqué after some 300 delegates in four major committees discussed and approved resolutions and proposals relevant, among other things, to fighting terrorism through interfaith dialogues, expanding trade and investment opportunities in the region, and transforming AIPO into an Assembly to align it to the objective of building a caring and sharing community in Southeast Asia.

The Assembly was held following an unprecedented agreement by the ASEAN and AIPO to hold regular yearly consultations.

The agreement, the first in 27 years, was reached in June when de Venecia flew to Kuala Lumpur on invitation of Foreign Minister Albar of Malaysia to brief the ASEAN Standing Committee on the current programs and initiatives being undertaken by the AIPO.

In his opening speech, de Venecia noted the growing linkage between the two organizations and said both AIPO, the legislative pillar, and the ASEAN, the executive edifice, “achieved major breakthroughs” in 2006 in the effort to bring the region united politically, economically and culturally.

On the final day of the five-day assembly, Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar (1st District, Cebu City) will preside at the closing ceremonies for Speaker de Venecia, the outgoing AIPO president.

De Venecia left Cebu City Wednesday morning to fulfill a commitment to attend the Non-Aligned Movement conference in Havana, Cuba where he is scheduled to speak on September 16.

De Venecia and del Mar observed that the AIPO General Assembly attained its major objectives and the more than 300 delegates from regular member-parliaments took part in extensive committee discussions on the substantive issues. (PNA)
“We have had fruitful and substantive discussions on many vital issues raised by the different delegations. We have had an excellent assembly,” de Venecia and del Mar said.
Del Mar will also deliver the closing remarks after which he will turn over the AIPO gavel to the delegation head of the incoming host country, Malaysia.
Rep. Antonio Cuenco, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the host Philippine House of Representatives, said the joint communiqué was being finalized and refined Wednesday by a committee appointed to draft it.
The communiqué is scheduled to be signed at 5 p.m. Thursday at the conference closing, before delegates will be treated to a final night of Cebuano hospitality that del Mar promises “will be quite warm and memorable to all delegates.”
The Assembly on Wednesday approved at the committee level agreements to combat terrorisms through interfaith dialogues, engage in the production of bio-fuels, and transform AIPO into a body closely integrated with its mother-organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Among the other resolutions approved included building energy security, strengthening regional cooperation in fighting cyber-terrorism, and transforming the AIPO into the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly to prepare it for the ASEAN vision of a community in Southeast Asia. After three days, the delegates took a breather Wednesday either playing golf or taking sight-seeing trips in this historic Queen City of the South.