Vietnam attends 119th IPU Assembly meetings

Geneva (VNA) - A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly led by head of the Committee on Social Affairs Truong Thi Mai attended the 119th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and related meetings in Geneva , Switzerland , from Oct. 13-15.

The delegates attended the IPU Assembly plenary sessions and meetings of the
IPU Executive Council and the Committees on Peace and International
Security, Sustainable Development, Democracy and Human Rights.

High on the agenda of the plenary sessions were cooperation between IPU and
United Nations bodies, IPU reform and the IPU Action Plan to increase
democracy and parliamentary institution.

The role played by parliaments in advancing nuclear non-proliferation and
disarmament and ensuring strict observance of the Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was tabled for discussion during the sitting.

Participants also touched upon climate change, sustainable development
models and renewable energies; and freedom of expression and the right to
information.

As a member of the IPU Executive Committee, Vietnam joined in executive
duties at the assembly. The Vietnamese parliamentarians also participated in
workshops on gender equality and freedom of expression and meetings of the
Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments.

They held bilateral meetings with delegations from a number of countries to
discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination at multilateral
forums.

The assembly agreed to convene the 120th IPU assembly meeting in Addis
Ababa , Ethiopia , from April 5-10, 2009, and elected Theo Ben Gurirab,
Speaker of the Namibian National Assembly as President of the IPU for the
2008-2011 term.-Enditem