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ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS
19APPF/ RES/01
RESOLUTION ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming previous resolutions regarding human trafficking adopted within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF); Acknowledging that human trafficking in the Asia-Pacific region affects 3 individuals out of every 1,000 inhabitants and estimating that over 9 million people are the victims of traditional and new forms of forced labor in the countries; Emphasizing the existence of a form of modern slavery that transcends boundaries and cannot be fought without joint action among APPF member States through an exchange of information and mutual assistance in accordance with the principles of international law and existing international instruments; Stating that strengthening international cooperation will allow to fight international criminal organizations, thus safeguarding the safety and dignity of individuals; Considering that the United Nations Convention Against Trans-National Organized Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Fight and Punish Human Trafficking, especially that of Women and Children, represent a point of reference in international efforts to fight against human trafficking; Aware of the need of cooperation between governments and civil society in order to identify victims of this crime and to punish those traffickers that enslave them; Emphasizing that the fight against this scourge requires the expertise, resources and efforts of several governmental agencies, as well as a comprehensive response from both governments and citizens of the Asia-Pacific region; Acknowledging that victims of the so-called contemporary slave trade have different faces and that victims are mainly women and children who are sexually exploited or become a source of cheap labor; Taking into account that in some countries a paradigm continues to be prevalent that prevents progress in fighting human trafficking because it still focuses on detention and deportation; Highlighting that in several countries there are goods produced through exploitation of children in violation of international instruments; Emphasizing that the pursuit of economic gain through the use of forced labor and the exploitation of child labor is inadmissible; Acknowledging that in some countries summary deportations are carried out as a consequence of rigid migration controls that ignore the basic principles of protecting the victims of any kind of exploitation; Convinced of the central role that parliaments have in the prevention of terrorism and in achieving domestic advances in legislation for the purpose of preventing and fighting terrorism; RESOLVES TO: 1. Ask the parliaments of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum to strengthen their justice systems for the purpose of making their actions more efficient, promoting the training of officers, prosecutors and judges, as well as the use of standards and procedures that guarantee the physical safety and the privacy of victims of human trafficking. 2. Ask the governments in the Asia-Pacific region to improve the communication, information and dissemination systems for the purpose of increasing public awareness and to inform of situations that may favor the exploitation of persons. 3. Promote the adoption of policies based on the principles of prevention, protection, processing as well as the inclusion of civilian society in designing and evaluating said policies. 4. Request APPF member States to punish those actions that favor the labor exploitation of people, such as the withholding of workers’ official documents. 5. Encourage the parliamentarians to improve the legal frameworks taking into account international standards, classifying human trafficking as a crime in all its forms and manifestations and acknowledging that individuals who are the object of trafficking are victims whose human rights must be protected. 6. Encourage the governments and parliaments of the region to incorporate gender questions in all policies, laws and regulations dealing with human trafficking. 7. Request the parliamentarians to enact laws that contemplate the principle of non-criminalization of trafficking victims and incorporate areas such as human rights, migration, health, labor law and criminal law so as to have a wide legal framework to tackle this phenomenon. 8. Call upon APPF member States to guarantee the rights, needs and vulnerabilities of children who are victims of trafficking providing with the additional protection they need. 9. Strengthen the international cooperation systems mainly for the purpose of sharing intelligence information regarding human trafficking and coordinate institutional efforts at the regional level. 10. Call upon the governments to strengthen cooperation links with the private sector so as to prevent labor exploitation at all levels of productive chains. 11. Carry out actions ensuring consideration of the best interests of victims be they domestic or immigrant, provide victims with assistance so that their civil and psychological damages can be repaired granting them a sojourn period with employment in their country of destination or if applicable to be taken to a third country. 12. Call upon the governments to implement migration controls based on the policies developed for the purpose of fighting human trafficking, as well as to implement programs to avoid the deportation of immigrants requiring some kind of protection or who evidence signs of having been the object of exploitation or human trafficking. 13. Call upon APPF member States to strengthen efforts for the purpose of identifying, recording and providing shelter for children who are the victims of human trafficking and in general improve the protection and assistance services to victims of this scourge. 14. Promote an exchange of standardized information between the APPF governmental and non-governmental organizations so as to include data concerning the crime prevalence, its geographic distribution and the forms it most commonly adopts. 15. Recommend the creation of parliamentary committees in each of the APPF parliaments concerning human trafficking in charge of supervising and orienting government policy as well as assigning the funds necessary to implement and evaluate said programs.
19APPF/RES/02
resolution ON Combating TERRORISM, illIcit
drug traffic and ORGANIZED CRIME
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming the previous resolutions concerning the fight against terrorism and organized crime adopted by the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum; Reiterating strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism which constitutes one of the most serious threats to regional and international peace and security; Willing to contribute to enhancing the efforts of the international community to effectively combat the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations; Reaffirming the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted on September 8, 2006 and striving for comprehensive implementation including in the Asia-Pacific region in an integrated manner; Reaffirming the need to enhance the role of international, regional and sub-regional organizations in implementation of global counter-terrorism measures; Recognizing that terrorism is aggravated by other international crimes, including illicit drug and arms trafficking, corruption, money laundering, cyber crime, human trafficking, kidnapping, piracy which can be used as direct support to this scourge, in particular as a funding source; Bearing in mind the "Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for Global Challenges: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Systems and Their Development in a Changing World" adopted at the Twelfth Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Salvador, Brazil in April 2010; Recognizing the interdependent nature of challenges posed by illicit drug production and trafficking, including of Afghan origin; Noting the significance of assistance rendered by the international community, international and regional organizations as well as non-governmental organizations to the countries of the region in reducing illicit drug production and trade; Convinced that parliaments can effectively contribute to ensuring progress in improving national legislation on prevention and combating terrorism and other interrelated crimes; Mindful of the need to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call on all APPF Member Countries to speed up their accession to and full implementation of the United Nations counter-terrorism related conventions and protocols. 2. Urge all APPF Member Countries to fully implement all United Nations Security Council counter-terrorism resolutions. 3. Call on all APPF Parliaments to strengthen inter-parliamentary regional and international cooperation to improve national and international legal basis to prevent and combat terrorism. 4. Urge all APPF Parliaments to enhance information exchange on national legislation related to prevention and combating terrorism and other interrelated crimes as well as monitoring implementation. 5. Call upon those States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols. 6. Recognize the need to deny criminals and criminal organization: the proceeds of their crimes and call upon all States within their national legal systems to adopt effective mechanisms for the seizure, restrain and confiscation of proceeds of crime and to strengthen international cooperation to ensure effective and prompt asset recovery. 7. Stress the need for stronger regional and international cooperation in countering global threat posed by the illicit drug production and trafficking. 8. Stress the importance for APPF Member Countries to enlarge and strengthen interfaith dialogue to prevent terrorism for the benefit of a peaceful and fruitful Asia-Pacific relationship. 9. Call on APPF Member Countries to further promote partnerships between states, business and civil society to combat terrorism.
19APPF/RES/03
RESOLUTION ON ENERGY SECURITY
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming the commitments made by the Parliamentarians of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum on energy security in accordance with the resolutions adopted at the preceding meetings, particularly the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth and Eighteenth annual meetings; Recognizing that energy is a fundamental component for the economic development in Asia-Pacific region and in the world as a whole; Considering that regional energy security and sustainable energy supply is best accomplished through long-term economic and financial cooperation among countries in the Asia-Pacific region, participation of stakeholders, bilateral and multilateral dialogue; Realizing great potentials to cooperate in integrating energy, financial and technological sources available in the Asia-Pacific region for the adoption of sustainable energy security and supply; Noting the importance of the promotion of free energy trade in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere in the world and huge investment needs and cooperation efforts to construct new energy production facilities and transmission infrastructure with a view to secure energy supply and reduce energy security risks; RESOLVES TO: 1. Promote APPF Governments cooperation to initiate, finance and implement energy development programs involving countries of the Asia-Pacific region. 2. Support APPF Governments cooperation to use renewable and other clean energy sources to increase energy efficiency, create and transfer required innovation and cutting edge technology. 3. Call on APPF Governments to develop and adopt favorable investment, tax and tariff policies to attract fiscal sources for energy infrastructure financing, enhance energy security in the countries of Asia-Pacific region and support financial involvement of the international financial organizations and private sector. 4. Encourage APPF Governments to share and exchange information, create information network systems, transfer knowledge and best experience that contribute to ensuring energy security in the region.
19APPF/RES/04
RESOLUTION ON MOVEMENT
OF PEOPLE
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Emphasizing that trade in goods and services strengthens our economies and increases our quality of life; Considering that commercial linkages between states are developed through person to person interactions and that facilitating these linkages improves trade; Noting that many families are spread across different APPF members and that seeing one’s family is also important to our quality of life; Noting that tourists provide economic opportunities for destination countries; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon APPF member countries to promote convenient, economic and consistent movement of people between member states. 2. Encourage APFF member countries to minimize visa requirements for entry into their territory and maximize the flexibility of visas, while ensuring domestic security. 3. Encourage APPF member countries to facilitate fair competition in the global travel industry. 4. Encourage APPF member countries to support conferences, work exchanges and student exchanges between each other. 5. Encourage APPF member countries to facilitate the recognition of professional credentials from other members. 6. Encourage APPF member countries to work towards social security portability agreements.
19APPF/RES/05
RESOLUTION ON PROTECTION
OF THE RIGHTS OF MIGRANT WORKERS
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 and other relevant international instruments related to the protection and promotion of human rights; Recalling that the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 97, 143 and 151 established a broad legal framework for migrant protection; Further recalling the Resolution No. APPF/RES/19 on Treatment and Protection of Migrant Workers which was adopted at the 16th Annual Meeting of the APPF; Deeply concerned with the precarious conditions faced by migrant workers such as human rights abuses, discrimination, low paying and low status jobs and ignored labour; Acknowledging the contribution of migrant workers to the economy of both receiving and sending states and their share to the development and prosperity of the region; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon all APPF Member Countries to promote comprehensive legislative, administrative and other necessary measures to enhance the protection of the rights of migrant workers including the promotion of fair and appropriate employment protection, payments of wages and adequate access to decent working and living conditions for migrant workers. 2. Urge the APPF Member Countries to provide adequate access to the legal and judicial system as well as resources and remedies to the victims of human rights abuses, discrimination, low paying and low status jobs and ignored labour. 3. Further urge the APPF Member Countries to enforce domestic laws which are equally applicable to migrant workers and citizens who violate the laws. 4. Request the sending countries to provide migrant workers with adequate skills and knowledge in order to be able to fulfill their task and understand the prevailing laws and culture in the recieving countries. 5. Further request the APPF Member Parliaments to conduct research and comparative surveys of national regulations, legislations and measures in their respective countries and to share their best practices in the protection of migrant workers in the next annual meeting of APPF.
19APPF/RES/06
RESOLUTION ON FOSTERING ERADICATION OF CHILD LABOR (Sponsored by Mexico)
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Concerned because the child labor has grown to become a global phenomenon, one that goes against internationally acknowledged children’s rights and violates international treaties on the rights of boys, girls and adolescents; Recognizing that up to these days there are still countries where children work excessively long hours under conditions that threaten their access to education and to health services; Considering that, in accordance to regional estimates by the International Labor Organization (ILO), the greatest number of working children are concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region (113.6 million), followed by Sub-Saharan Africa (65.1 million) and Latin America and the Caribbean (14.1 million) and that 5.6% of children in the Asia-Pacific region are exposed to dangerous kinds of work; Adopting that we must constitute a united front for eradicating child labor, especially in the Southern Asia region, where the figures of working children are the highest; Recognizing that the number of working children has gone down 10% as per research carried out by the ILO although, in the specific case of children between the ages of 5 and 14, this trend does not quite reach that percentage; Accepting that we must intensify greater efforts in order to finally implement actions that allow boys and girls to have access to elementary education and comprehensive social protection system; Aware of the need to create opportunities for productive labor for parents, so as to allow them to overcome poverty and gain access to a better standard of living, something which will no doubt will allow to separate children from their need to work; Emphasizing that we must work more rapidly towards eradication of child labor and collaborate to attain the goal set by the International Labor Organization regarding the elimination of the worst forms of child labor by 2016; Reaffirming commitment to eradicate child labor worldwide since millions of children are losing the opportunity of having a better future; Remarking that for the execution of projects we need a specific plan with clear objectives, well-defined strategies, expected results and financial resources for implementing social protection and a prohibition of child labor; Recalling that only through effective social dialogue and commitment by each country in the Asia-Pacific region will we be able to formulate the necessary conditions that allow guaranteeing decent working conditions and quality education for all; Suggesting public policies that allow the eradication of child labor in order to ensure opportunities and conditions that allow girls, boys and adolescents optimal development which is a central factor for prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region; Considering that Agreement 138 of the General Conference of the International Labor Organization regarding the minimum age for admittance to work in its 1st. Article states that “every member for which compliance of this Agreement is mandatory hereby commits to following a domestic policy ensuring the effective abolition of child labor and to gradually increase the minimum age for admittance to work to a level that ensures the most complete physical and mental development of minors”; Remembering that the International Labor Organization Agreement 182 on the Prohibition of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and Immediate Action towards its Elimination states in its 1st. Article that “every member who ratifies the ILO Agreement must adopt immediate and effective measures to urgently attain the ban and elimination of the worst forms of child labor”; RESOLVES TO: 1. Recommend to governments to make a commitment to ensure access to a quality education to all boys, girls and adolescents. 2. Exhort the parliaments to commit to take all necessary measures to face up the deep unemployment and lack of income endured by vast population sectors as a condition for ensuring the eradication of child labor and full compliance with mandatory schooling. 3. Urge the parliaments to commit to discuss, analyze and adopt through their local legislation all regulating international instruments for the protection of boys’ and girls’ rights. 4. Exhort the parliaments to commit to implement legislative actions for the purpose of preventing, decreasing and eradicating child labor. 5. Encourage the fight against poverty and to implement health and education policies with a view to helping in the eradication of child labor in all its manifestations. 6. Exhort parliamentarians and opinion leaders to carry out actions and speak out in favor of the eradication of child labor. 7. Urge governments, businessmen/women, civilian organizations and workers to build programs and policies that contribute to the elimination of child labor. 8. Encourage the development of social sensitivity and its mobilization, as well as the generation of knowledge and the implementation of follow-up mechanisms of the policies favoring the fight against child labor and its worst forms. 9. Prioritize children in the preparation of domestic budgets and in the different activities of countries so as to ensure access to education, health care and every other factor that ensures their best development.
19APPF/RES/07
RESOLUTION ON CULTURAL HERITAGE, EDUCATION
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Cultural Heritage: Recalling the APPF Vancouver Declaration which encourages mutual understanding and confidence building among the countries; Bearing in mind the 1970 UNESCO Convention on Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property; Recalling the 1972 UNESCO Convention on Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage; Recalling the terms of the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects; Noting the adoption of the 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage; RESOLVES TO: 1. Encourage to collaborate in adopting preventive, mandatory and remedial measures to combat unlawful and criminal practices concerning theft, clandestine excavation and illicit import and export of cultural property. 2. Enhance coordination to further improve their respective systems for export license and registration of cultural property, releasing information on stolen cultural property and supervision on import of cultural property. 3. Encourage all member countries to promote the adoption of a regional awareness to preserve the intangible cultural heritage and cultural diversity of their people. 4. Invite the governments of the Asia-Pacific region to develop mid- and long-term cultural programs to strengthen and support all efforts intended to preserve cultural heritage. Education: Recalling the APPF Vancouver Declaration which encourages mutual understanding and confidence building among the countries; Considering that education is a source of knowledge and dynamic orientation for sustainable development; Recognizing the progress of science and technology integrated with social cultural dimension; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call on the Asia-Pacific countries to continuously support education exchange programs and research works focusing on different aspects in the field. 2. Encourage APPF government institutions to recognize the importance of education quality and standards. 3. Invite the Asia-Pacific countries to strengthen sustainable development through educational efforts. 4. Encourage governmental and non-governmental institutions to increase a number of education exchange program scholarships. Science: Recognizing the United Nations Millennium Declaration; Underlining the importance of science and technology; Noting that there is a need to provide substantial support to innovative activities; RESOLVES TO: Recommend countries to develop legislative and financial support for the development of high technology and ICT. Promote the development of a network of innovation of industrial processes among member countries. Encourage the countries to strengthen national science and technology education systems through developing appropriate policies. Consider the importance of incubators and science and technology parks. Encourage research of innovation and exchange of young researchers.
19APPF/RES/08
RESOLUTION ON DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Acknowledges the general elections held on 7 November 2010 in Myanmar as a significant step forward in the implementation of the Seven-Step Road-Map to Democracy Congratulate Myanmar on the recent release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi; Calls on the Parliament of Myanmar to take steps to facilitate the peaceful reconciliation of ethnic groups within Myanmar and between the government and Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers Further calls on the government to continue the peaceful transition process to democracy in Myanmar within a definite time frame to include Aung San Suu Kyi and other political parties in the process Reiterates their commitments to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar Support the continuation of the good offices mission of the UN Secretary General Calls upon Myanmar to engage and cooperate more closely with the UN and ASEAN to improve the economic and social conditions of the people of Myanmar.
19APPF/ RES/09
RESOLUTION ON FOOD SECURITY IN NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Considering that notwithstanding a economic growth in the Asia-Pacific, poverty reduction and food security are high priorities on the regional agenda; Recognizing the importance of implementing policies and strategies on developing food security, agriculture, forestry, fishery, food production and multilateral cooperation; Considering that development of legal structure for food inspection and favorable legal environment is important for protecting human health, avoiding non-standard food products and promoting safe food production and its trade; Concerned over the global climate change and natural disasters affecting crops and livestock production as well as decreasing food supply; Bearing in mind a worldwide spread of food borne diseases due to non-standard sanitary conditions and chemical residue in food; Considering that, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the food crisis of recent years had an impact on 925 million human beings, who suffered hunger and malnutrition, and that many more are threatened to suffer from them if their access to food and resources for producing food is not rapidly improved; Remembering that from 2006 to 2008, world famine levels grew, up to include more of one hundred million of poor people, while at the same time the production of cereals grew; the prices of rice, corn, wheat and soy doubled during the same period. The result was, therefore, that while access to food was reduced among the poorest sector of the world population, multi-national businesses increased their profits in an exorbitant way; Making an statement that an increase in world temperature by 3º C will bring about the loss of 30% of all Earth’s wetlands, the extinction of species in the same proportion and a severe drop in food production; Admitting that these impacts jeopardize food security and force populations to migrate, thereby having a negative effect on equality and governability in the Asia-Pacific region and in other countries in the planet; Considering that most cultivation lands irrigated by rain are in possession of the low-income, poor peasants and that climate changes will have a major impact on their lives and development, bringing about greater poverty and governability problems; Concerned because droughts and other meteorological phenomena associated with climate change in producing countries have affected crops and will continue to have an impact on the production of food; Taking into account that, due to the loss of cultivation lands, countries that were previously self-sufficient have become food-importing nations; Recognizing the sustained increase in food prices in the international market and that total billings for the importation of food may be greater than one billion dollars in 2010, a level not seen since 2008; Recognizing that, in accordance with article 25 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Every person has the right to an adequate quality of life that ensures him/her and his/her family health and well being and especially access to all necessary food, dress, housing, medical assistance and social services”; Concerned also for the lack of investment in the countryside, in agricultural research, in the formation of agriculturalists and in rural development, both by governments and by development agencies and international financial institutions, a lack which has exposed especially small-scale agriculturalists to disloyal competition and have reduced their capacity to produce food in sufficient amounts; Considering that the current food situation is affected by the growth of speculation with basic agricultural and food products, given the competition between the generation of biofuels and the production of food and given the increase in world demand for food, due to diet changes in emerging economies. Concerned because, if these trends continue, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, by 2017 the figure of hungry individuals could surpass 1.2 billion, and because each day 25,000 people die because of hunger and malnutrition, of whom at least 11,000 are children. RESOLVES TO: 1. Appeal to develop Action Plan on “Food Security Strategy in the Asia-Pacific region for the years 2011-2015”. 2. Strengthen risk-based-food-inspection structure, improve food safety and healthy food production, financial capacity and regulatory management. 3. Exhort APPF members to promote among the region’s countries the urgent implementation of strategies to fight and mitigate climate change, in accordance with the objectives to eradicate famine and achieve long-term food security in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world. 4. Call on parliamentarians to establish a sustainable balance between the production of energy and that of food, assigning priority to achieving food security. 5. Make progress in all needed regulatory changes to limit financial speculation with commodities, which is the result of transactions using speculative capital. 6. Promote inside the countries of the region the dissemination of practical knowledge and the access to resources and technologies as per the commitments established in different international instruments, such as the Declaration of Rome and the Millennium Declaration, that evidence the will of the Asia-Pacific parliamentarians to achieve the eradication of hunger. 7. Improve the regulation of markets, guaranteeing a greater transparency and the establishment of an adequate level of emergency reserves. 8. Promote technical, scientific and technological cooperation, in order to increase the production of food in the region, as well as to promote better practices and forms to ensure fluid and efficient international trade in food products. 9. Promote productive investment in the agricultural sector in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, so as to enable them to produce the supplementary food needed by the world population. 10. Establish a jurisdictional framework to be applied by governments, international organizations and by all sectors of civil society in order to make constant progress towards universal food security; 11. Notes with concern the overexploited status of some fish stocks in the Pacific, and encourages coastal States, and States fishing in the area, to adopt effective conservation and management measures, increase scientific advice when formulating and adopting these measures, and commit to total compliance, aiming at the conservation of fishing resources and food security in States of the Pacific Rim. 12. Contribute to world stability and peace through attainment of a greater food security. 13. Commit to improving the efficiency of vehicles and reduce their use, to reduce polluting emissions from buildings and household appliances, to encourage the use of natural gas and the solar and nuclear generation of electrical power; to increase reforestation and stop deforestation: to promote conservation-friendly agricultural practices; to increase wind production of electrical power. 14. Promote development of food security and the reduction of poverty as part of a sustainable mechanism for ensuring the regional growth.
19APPF/ RES/10
RESOLUTION ON COOPERATION IN DISASTER
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Underscoring the relevance of international and regional inter-parliamentary cooperation in natural disaster mitigation, given the growing role played by international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations –especially in the Asia-Pacific Region- in related social and humanitarian areas; Deeply concerned about the suffering endured by the victims of natural disasters, loss of life, refugee flows, collective displacement of populations, and physical and financial destruction - and considering that this should serve to promote international inter-parliamentary cooperation aimed at mitigating human suffering and accelerating rehabilitation and reconstruction; Also noting the growing number and complexity of human catastrophes and natural disasters, the impact of which exceeds the disaster-response capacity of many affected countries, in particular their ability to provide food, medicine, shelter and health care to disaster victims; RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge the regional community of the Asia-Pacific region, particularly donor countries, international financial institutions and relevant international organizations, the private sector and civil society to extend their full support and assistance to the Governments of countries affected by natural disasters to mitigate the adverse impact of them by taking measures, such as providing market access to revive their economies and investing in medium- and long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction projects. Parliaments of the Asia-Pacific region to support their disaster management by issuing related legal documents on emergency response interagency communication and coordination and improvement of national rescue and response capacity. 2. Support establishing standardized procedures and guidelines on emergency management and coordination of agencies which are involved in emergency response and training of national team and special taskforces, supplying them with techniques and equipments according to international team standards and conducting joint exercises. 3. Ensure the implementation of joint, effective and immediate disaster response under the curcumstances exceeding national disaster response capacity through establishing bilateral and multilateral treaties and agreements on cooperation and mutual assistance among countries in the region and joining respective agreements and treaties. 4. Appeal to international and regional parliamentary organizations, UN agencies and relevant regional and international organizations to redouble their efforts and develop programmes to heighten awareness of the damages caused by natural catastrophes. 5. Underscore the importance of a rapid response by the international community, particularly in the Asia-Pacific Region, to meet the needs of people affected by natural hazards that may become disasters, especially the people of severely affected countries such as Pakistan among others, who have sustained heavy losses as a result of the recent devastating floods, and urges all potential stakeholders to extend humanitarian aid to all those affected by such a disaster. 6. Call upon parliaments from the Asia-Pacific Region to urge their governments to prioritize compliance with international commitments such as the Kyoto Protocol and other agreements dealing with climate change. 7. Encourage all governments from the Asia-Pacific Region to further coordinate their international relief, reconstruction and recovery activities, among themselves and with humanitarian agencies, and to take concrete action to enhance people's understanding of the need for disaster-risk reduction through public awareness, education and training. 8. Call upon parliaments from the Asia-Pacific Region to urge their governments - through their legislative and oversight roles - the United Nations and its specialized agencies and all relevant regional and international organizations to develop disaster-risk-reduction strategies, facilitate the exchange of relevant technology, establish early warning systems, and develop rapid response mechanisms, in particular under the Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI) launched by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNDP and UNISDR. 9. Issue an urgent call for all nations belonging to the Asia-Pacific Region, acting within the framework of a strategy to manage unforeseen events, and in view of the need to ensure global security, to establish a global resource able to tackle unanticipated disasters and phenomena immediately.
19APPF/ RES/11
resolution ON STRENGTHENING PARLIAMENTARY
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Acknowledging that the Millennium Development Goals is a global commitment adopted by the world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000 with targets and indicators to be achieved by 2015; Bearing in mind the positive outcomes in implementing MDGs, which have contributed to improving the life of hundreds of millions of people, including those in the poorest nations, and the need to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, with new and stronger measures; Stressing that peace and stability are the prerequisite condition for development, and that countries need to devise international and national plans to maintain achievements and meet all MDGs, striving for higher goals; Referring that parliament has a vital role to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through their essential functions in budgeting, legislating, and monitoring; Recognizing that the Millennium Development Goals reports made by the United Nations and other organizations as an effective ways to measure the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Asia-Pacific; Welcoming the Declaration which was agreed at the 18th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and the joint statement which was agreed at the 22nd APEC Ministerial Meeting in Japan in November 2010, particularly related to the Millennium Development Goals; RESOLVES TO: 1. Recommend the APPF Member Countries to take necessary actions to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. 2. Affirm the importance of the essential functions of the Parliament in legislating, budgeting, and monitoring to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. 3. Recommend the APPF Member Parliaments to establish a committee/agent/task force/working group or other type of standing committee in their respective parliaments as a focal point in addressing the Millennium Development Goals issues. 4. Support the APPF Member Governments’ efforts in enhancing the acceleration process to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. 5. Urge the Developed Countries in APPF to make concrete and consistent efforts to fulfill their commitments of giving the Official Development Assistance (ODA) targeted to developing countries and least developed countries as the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development that was agreed in 2002 and contributing to concluding Doha negotiations and removing unfair measures in trade; 6. Encourage the facilitation of developing countries’ efforts in making policies and raising management capacity; 7. Request the APPF Member Countries to prioritize the accomplishment of the hardest targets of the Millennium Development Goals to maximize the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. 8. Call for the APPF Member Countries to advance partnership with non-governmental organizations focusing on the achievement of Millennium Development Goals and to promote private-public partnership through regional and global cooperation forums to meet the Millennium Development Goals. 19APPF/RES/12
RESOLUTION ON ECONOMY AND TRADE
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Noting the resolutions related to the Global Economy and Financial Crisis which were adopted in the 18th Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in January 2010, the “Leaders’ Statement: the Seoul Summit” in November 2010, and “Leaders’ Declaration: The Yokohama Vision - Bogor and Beyond” which was adopted in the 18th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November 2010; Recalling the commitment in the Bogor Declaration, which was adopted by APEC Leaders in 1994 and the Vancouver Declaration which was adopted in the 5th Annual Meeting of the APPF in January 1997 in order to achieve the long-term goal of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region; Noting that the innovation in the information-communication and financial sectors has promoted the regional economic integration, which may rapidly propagate the economic and financial imbalances across the whole region; Affirming that while the world economy has got out of a critical situation by the effect of the economic and fiscal policies of each government, it holds risks that it could become sluggish in that case of deteriorations of fiscal, financial and employment situation, and the uneven growth still remains among countries; Taking into account that the negative repercussions of the economic and financial crisis have hit the most vulnerable groups in society Confirming that our priorities are to promote high-quality growth and to reconstruct the International Financial Regulatory System; Concerned that protectionist measures in trade and investment deteriorate the world economy at the time of recovery after the recent economic and financial crisis; Welcoming each country’s commitment toward the correction of macroeconomic imbalances between and within economies as well as the properly functioning of the financial system in international meetings such as the G20 Summit and APEC summit meeting; Concerned over unfavorable terms of trade facing the landlocked developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region; Recalling the United Nations General Assembly resolution 64/214 of 23 March 2010 and ESCAP resolution 65/6 of 25 April 2009 on issues related to the Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries; Reaffirming that it is essential to intensify our efforts to cooperate at the national, regional and multilateral levels in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon to continue to implement our fiscal, financial and monetary policies until recovery of the world economy has clearly taken hold, to recognize the importance of policy measures which ensure that the recovery will not be a “Jobless Recovery,” and to cautiously consider to implementation of the exit strategies and to continue to coordinate our policies, in order to achieve sustainable growth of world economy; 2. Confirm that member countries exchange views toward policy coordination in the region on the occasion of the annual meetings of the APPF, and continue to oversee the policies in each country, in order to correct imbalances in economies as well as currency and financial markets and thus promote those soundness; 3. Recommend APPF Member Parliaments to discuss the possibilities to develop a regional safety net mechanism as a precautionary measure to prevent further crisis in the future. 4. Strongly wish, for the achievement of sustainable growth, to increase investments in environmental/energy sectors with holding beliefs that economic growth coexists with low-carbon technologies, to improve energy efficiency through the technology innovation, and to ensure that such technology innovation will benefit all Asia-Pacific regions resulting in economic growth in the region in accordance with the Cancun agreement reached at COP16 held in Mexico in December 2010; 5. Request member countries to commit themselves to fight against protectionism and unfair trade barriers and to an ambitious and balanced conclusion of the Doha Round negotiations as early as possible in order to facilitate economic growth through free trade and investment; 6. Call upon member countries and its related regions to take concrete steps toward realization of a Free Trade Area of the Asia- Pacific (FTAAP), as a means not only to further promote regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region, but also to complement and strengthen the multilateral trading system centered on the WTO in a transparent, fair and globally beneficial way; 7. Also recognize that an FTAAP should be pursued as a comprehensive free trade agreement by developing and building on ongoing regional efforts such as ASEAN+3, ASEAN+6, and the Trans Pacific Partnership, among others; 8. Emphasize that the economic partnership being developed in the region should be based on a fair, equal, mutually beneficial, and mutual respect principle to promote further sustainable development. 9. Foster moves by APPF countries towards intensified economic integration, reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers against trade and investment and increased legal and business transparency in the entire Asia-Pacific region; 10. Wish for the Asia-Pacific region to develop into a region that is advanced in terms of trade and investment by improving trade rules related to intellectual property rights and investment in regional trade agreements and thereby facilitating trade and investment; 11. Call upon member countries to work for the full achievement of the goal of the Bogor Declaration by all APEC economies by 2020, recognizing that significant progress toward achieving the goal has so far been made; 12. Welcome the APEC Leaders’ Growth Strategy, which was agreed upon and announced by APEC Leaders in 2010, to provide a comprehensive long-term framework for promoting high-quality growth in the region, focusing on the five desired attributes of balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and secure growth; 13. Request all parliaments to ensure that the policies for promoting high-quality growth take fully into account the correction of imbalances and disparities between and within economies, achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and improvement of potentiality of those in the most vulnerable groups; 14. Encourage to improve integrated trade and transport policies and cooperation supportive for countries with special needs, including landlocked developing countries, and develop regional cooperation mechanisms to increase competitiveness of key-sectors, such as multi-modal transportation, ports, customs, airports and business corridors, as well as administrative simplification required to increase the efficiency of trade; 15. Ensure that all parliaments continue to be committed to realizing “The Yokohama Vision - Bogor and Beyond,” which seeks to develop an APEC community through the cooperative efforts by the Asia-Pacific economies in various areas; and 16. Note with concern the overexploited status of some fish stocks in the Pacific, and encourage the coastal States, and States fishing in the area, to adopt effective conservation and management measures, increase scientific advice when formulating and adopting these measures, and commit to total compliance, aiming at the conservation of fishing resources and food security in States of the Pacific Rim.
19APPF/RES/13
RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Recognizing that climate change and environmental problems are global and potentially the most severe challenge for all humankind; Recalling resolutions related to these problems which were adopted in the past annual meetings of the APPF; Referring to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 1992; United Nations Millennium Declaration, and the Montevideo Programme III 2000 – 2001, which have clearly stated that economic development on the basis of environmental protection and preservation of natural resources is the mainstream of the 21st century; IPU Resolution on Parliamentary Support for the Kyoto Protocol adopted by consensus by the 107th Conference encouraging “States to create conditions enabling countries to maximize the use of renewable energy sources,…and to increase energy efficiency”; Welcoming the endeavors of the international community through such conferences as the G8 Muskoka Summit, the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, (CBD-COP10), the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP5), Ninth Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate Change and Leaders Meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate; Welcoming the progress achieved in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP16/CMP6) held in Cancun, Mexico in December 2010 to implement the basic framework and objectives of the Bali Roadmap adopted at the COP13/CMP3 held in Bali, Indonesia in 2007; Noting our Asia-Pacific countries’ determination to make efforts for the resolution of these serious and urgent problems which the international community should tackle; Recognizing that climate change will result in increased extreme weather conditions such as heat waves, floods, droughts and severe storms, heavy snows /dzud[1]/, melting glaciers and rising sea-levels and that these will lead to adverse impacts on socio-economic life and on human health and irreversible damage worldwide and in particular on and within developing countries, least developed countries, and small island developing states; Recognizing that the adverse impacts of climate change will set back development achieved by developing countries, making it more difficult for them to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015; Bearing in mind that the phenomena related to climate change are fundamentally harmful to the environment and result from unsustainable development policies; Referring to the objective, principles and provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol; Expressing the appreciation for the efforts and initiatives of the nations to mitigate climate change and strengthen capacity for climate change adaptation; Expressing intention to elaborate and implement national and sectoral policy, strategy and programs aimed at adaptation to climate change and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions; Taking into account the evidence of recent researches and studies revealing the intensifying changes in global climate system and its increasing impacts on ecosystems, societies and economies; Aware that if actions to mitigate climate change lag behind, mankind will have to pay an enormous price because of the catastrophic impacts of rising GHG levels; Recalling that Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are the main cause of climate change; Emphasizing the need for comprehensive, efficient and effective measures to address the adverse effects of climate change and reduce GHG emissions and that a comprehensive, global legally binding agreement to address climate change can facilitate the progress towards global economic recovery, energy security and sustainable development; Acknowledging that there exists a severe imbalance in the level of emissions, mitigation potential and the relative alternative energy potential among different countries, even comparing countries with similar HDI; and for that reason acknowledge that all countries should protect the climate system on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities depending on specific circumstances of the countries; Realizing the urgency for all countries to reach a global legally binding agreement on GHG emission reductions before the expiration of the first Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012; Stressing the immense global potential of renewable energy sources like biomass, wind, solar, hydro, tidal, wave and geothermal power to considerably reduce GHG emissions as well as contribute to energy security and conscious that for many countries renewable energy will be more economically efficient compared to traditional fossil fuels, taking into account the rapid exhaustion and environmental impact of such traditional fossil fuels, while recognising the difficulties some countries face in switching to renewable energy source ; Reaffirming the central role that the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol play in fostering international cooperation and action on climate change; Recognizing that the global nature of climate change requires the widest possible cooperation and action by all countries, including all Members of APPF, in an effective and synchronized international response, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities; Recognizing the importance of national legislation by respective APPF Member Countries in supporting any global agreement on climate change; Recognizing, that the financing component of the Cancun Agreements, once operationalized, will benefit developing countries in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change; Convinced that the global fight against climate change involves developing policies and actions for mitigation and adaptation, which are essential to reduce the risks to life and development; Noting the importance of considering the Precautionary Principle when designing, adopting and implementing policies that have effects on global, regional and local environmental, as well as climate, balances; Recognizing that the convergence of objectives towards a common goal of mitigation and the identification of best options for adaptation to climate change, will allow us to collectively face this challenge; Recognizing that while climate change represents a cost and an obstacle to development, a successful global policy to tackle it can open new economic opportunities for the countries concerned; Convinced that climate change has a long-term global impact that can only be addressed with vision and leadership, essential to the planning of human activities in a sustainable manner; Welcoming the measures taken by countries to reduce their GHG emissions, including investments into climate-friendly and environmental technologies; Appreciating that the leaders of the various countries have stated their own legitimate positions and have assumed common but differentiated responsibilities in accordance with their respective capabilities and national circumstances, and the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol; Recognizing that deforestation aggravates climate change, and that concrete efforts must be carried out to combat this practice and promote reforestation and afforestation, to reduce the impact of anthropogenic GHG emissions and to protect the biodiversity of the ecosystems in peril; Recognizing the need for Asia-Pacific governments to be always prepared for climate change-driven natural disasters; Underscoring the crucial role of local governments in providing immediate emergency and relief efforts after natural disasters; Noting that preventive measures, such as emergency drills, and investment in emergency equipment will lower the loss of life brought about by calamities; Acknowledging that emergency and relief assistance from developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region is not sufficient to address large-scale humanitarian crises; Recognizing the role of international aid agencies, such as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent and the World Food Program, in meeting the short term humanitarian needs of victims of natural disasters; Recalling the role of APPF Member Countries in promoting climate change awareness and mitigation in their respective countries; Acknowledging the concerns of multilateral and regional institutions like ASEAN, APEC, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) on environmental protection and efforts to counter climate change which threatens the survival of countries in the region; RESOLVES TO: 1. Welcome the Cancun Agreements which took note of the economy-wide emission reduction targets to be implemented by developed countries, and nationally appropriate mitigation actions to be implemented by developing countries , respectively, as communicated by them; 2. Encourage countries to constantly and effectively implement their commitments made in international documents regarding environmental protection of which they are a party to, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 1992, Kyoto Protocol 1997, The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer 1985, and declarations adopted at the Rio and Johannesburg summits, the outcomes of CBD-COP10 and COP-MOP5 including the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020(“the Aichi Targets”), the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, and the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress, the Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment 1972; 3. Recognize the importance of financial and technological support for adaptation in accordance with the Convention for developing countries, in particular least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states, which are most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, and to work together towards strengthening the ability of those developing countries to adapt to climate change, including disaster risk reduction; 4. Recognize the crucial role of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and to enhance cooperation and coordination in international society to promote soil, pasture and forest conservation, sustainable management of forests and the enhancement of carbon stocks in developing countries; 5. Call upon the world community, especially developed countries, to adopt a decision to reach a global legally binding outcome at the COP17/CMP7 to be held in Durban, South Africa in December 2011 which takes account into the specific circumstances of developing countries that are less developed and most vulnerable to climate change because of its geographical location, climate condition and affected by rapid desertification; 6. Request the developed countries to establish a flexible mechanism, amongst other intitatives that enables developing countries, in particular small island developing countries and those with landlocked location and fragile ecosystem, to strengthen their capacity for countering climate change, introduce climate-friendly technologies and provide financial resources in order to take appropriate response measures for climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction; 7. Call upon APPF Member Countries to recognize the critical role of environmentally and climate sound technologies to address climate change challenges and the need for technological innovations and to cooperate among the Member Countries in the development, deployment and transfer of innovative technologies; 8. Call upon APPF Member Countries to establish a regulatory and legislative framework to address long-term challenges of climate change to form political will towards low-carbon and green growth development; 9. Take note the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, with a view to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions so as to hold the increase in global average temperature below 2oC above pre-industrial levels and recognises the need to consider strengthening this goal in relation to a global average temperature rise of 1.5oC; 10. Welcome pledges made by developed countries including Japan’s pledge of 15 billion dollars for development assistance under the Hatoyama Initiative; 11. Urge all governments to build upon the Cancun Agreements, to reach a legally binding, comprehensive, ambitious and equitable climate change instrument that includes all countries in a meaningful way; 12. Call upon APPF Member Countries to work together towards strengthening the ability for adaptation to climate change, including disaster risk reduction, of developing countries, in particular least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, including through the further development of the “Asia Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Network”; 13. Call upon APPF Member Countries to undertake domestic actions identified through country-driven approaches, to engage in bilateral and multilateral cooperative activities on technology development and transfer and to increase private and public research, development and demonstration in relation to technology for mitigation and adaptation; 14. Urge APPF Member Countries to review their governments’ actions in future United Nations Climate Change Conferences; 15. Urge APPF Member Countries to share a common advocacy for greater emission cuts in various international parliamentary conferences and other international fora; 16. Call for the formation of a joint mechanism in Asia Pacific, which consists of regional inter-parliamentary and inter-governmental organizations like APPF, AIPA, APEC, and ASEAN to effectively deal with the threats of climate change; 17. Urge APPF Member Countries to cooperate in the preservation and protection of marine biodiversity and in the sustainable utilization of water resources; 18. Welcome the progress achieved in the 10th Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010, in the area of conservation of biodiversity, as well as in the area of fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources, but, nonetheless, call upon APPF Member Countries to increase efforts for a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss; 19. Stress that Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), in addition to encouraging sustainable development, plays a fundamental role in promoting the care of the environment; this requires the efforts of all nations in terms of educating the public and making efficient recycling, reuse and garbage reduction methods available to the people and the participation of civil society; 20. Call upon APPF Member Countries to promote the building of sound material cycle societies through the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Initiative; 21. Call on APPF Member Countries to strengthen emergency and relief services, in cooperation with International Relief Organizations, to improve their disaster preparedness based on new climate models; 22. Urge governments to increase funding to improve weather forecasting technology and to spread disaster education programmes in schools and universities; 23. Urge governments to streamline disaster coordination and improve communication systems and information dissemination among government agencies, the private sector including the media and civil society, and the communities; 24. Call on developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as pledged in the Copenhagen Accord, and for developing countries to plan to reduce their emissions; 25. Call upon member of parliaments to promote regional cooperation and linkage through parliamentary channels so as to assist one another in legislative affairs that encourage the exploit and use of renewable energies at national and local levels.
19APPF/RES/14
RESOLUTION ON REFORM AND FUTURE WORK OF THE ASIA PACIFIC
PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Noting that the meetings preparatory to the formation of the APPF were held in 1991, that the APPF has met each year from 1993,and that its foundation documents comprise the Tokyo Declaration (1993), the Manila Declaration (1994), the Vancouver Declaration (1997) and the Valparaiso Declaration (2001); Having regard to the changes experienced in the region since the inception of the APPF, and the adoption of the Rules of Procedure in 1994, and committing to the Forum’s continued relevance and cohesion, exemplified by ‘commitment to frank and constructive dialogue’ and ‘equal respect for views of all participants’; Recognising the role of the APPF in providing a regular and unique platform for national parliamentarians to come together and debate matters of regional and global significance in an atmosphere of goodwill and mutual respect; Noting the efforts made by parliaments of the region to contribute to annual meetings by the preparations made for delegates, hosting of annual meetings, and participation in debate and negotiation on resolutions; Reaffirming the need for the APPF to honour the sustained commitment of delegations and to respond to current challenges by seizing opportunities to strengthen the Forum’s structure and procedures; Underlining the need for a full commitment by all member parliaments to the APPF and its vision; Welcoming the Honorary President’s call for contributions to a review of the APPF with the aim of enhancing its effectiveness and relevance and looking forward to full implementation based on proposals received from APPF member countries; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon APPF members to consider the aims and priorities of this significant forum and to ensure that its renewed vision and objectives are reflected in a declaration that acknowledges the successes of the past and illustrates the path chosen by its members for future success; 2. Support efforts by APPF members to reconsider the Rules of Procedure, to revise them to the extent necessary to ensure they are comprehensive and clear, reflecting the agreed structure and manner of conduct of annual meetings, and providing certainty for Chairs and participants; 3. Consider in detail the adequacy of the Rules of Procedure to address situations of continuing non-attendance at meetings by member countries; the recording of dissenting views or abstentions as part of the consensus; the completion of debate on an item in the plenary before the Drafting Committee settles a resolution; and the attendance and advocacy at the Drafting Committee by countries that have submitted draft resolutions; and 4. Reaffirm the commitment by APPF members to play their part in the Forum’s contribution to cooperation, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region.
19APPF/RES/15
RESOLUTION ON Political and secUrity
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Stating that today the Asia-Pacific is becoming a key region, which above all will determine the prospects of the global development; Based on the will of the peoples of Asia and the Pacific to live in peace, stability, prosperity and in harmony with each other and the rest of the world; Reiterating that the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula presently is a matter of great concern to Northeast Asia and to the Asia Pacific region in general, and referring to the resolution on the situation at the Korean Peninsula adopted at previous and current APPF Annual Meetings, Perceiving that the threats of international terrorism, ethnic separatism, religious extremism, illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, and sea piracy are having a destabilizing effect on regional and national security in the region and Reaffirming the commitments made by the member parliaments of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in the fight against terrorism through resolutions adopted at previous and current Annual Meetings; Recalling that the APEC Vision, proclaimed by the leaders at the summit in Seattle in 1993, called for a commitment to "achieving stability, security and prosperity for our peoples"; Aware that the nations of the Asia Pacific region have been facing new challenges and threats to human security, whose effects have been felt by their citizens, economies and societies as much or more than the rest of the world; Taking into account the "Vision of Yokohama", proclaimed by the APEC leaders at the summit of November, 2010, which proposed constructing an Asia Pacific Community better prepared to address threats to human security and economic activity; Expressing support to APEC for having paid increasing attention to human security issues in the Asia Pacific, understanding that the new threats to security, including terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, constitute a direct and profound challenge to the APEC vision of free, open and prosperous economies; Aware that proliferation of nuclear weapons jeopardizes the region’s peace and stability; Acknowledging that military exercises or nuclear tests do not contribute to the reduction of tension in the Asia-Pacific region; Convinced that peace is an indispensable condition for the harmonious development of the Asia-Pacific region and the main desire of its societies, as represented by their governments and parliaments; Strongly rejecting the use of violence as an instrument to accomplish any matters, as it is contrary to the aspirations of peace and conciliation among nations; Convinced that the axis driving all international relations should be dialogue, cooperation and negotiations between States; Aware that the establishment of an effective control against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction requires a strong political will and an active cooperation of member States; Convinced of the fundamental role of international instruments for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in maintaining safety and peace in the Asia-Pacific region, such as the Treaties of Bangkok, Rarotonga and Tlatelolco, which have ensured the de-nuclearization of a large part of the Asia-Pacific region; Understanding that the unilateral development of programs for producing weapons of mass destruction is one of the main causes of instability in the Asia-Pacific region and may give rise to an arms race seriously threatening regional and international safety; Deeply concerned about the possibility that terrorist groups may gain access to weapons of mass destruction and about the resulting implications this would present for regional and world safety; Aware that the United Nations Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is the most important instrument for preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region and therefore it is necessary that all Asia-Pacific countries sign it; Convinced that transparency and cooperation concerning the exchange of information on the possession of weapons and the development of arms programs are key in building a climate of trust that permits to ensure peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region; Concerned about a possible military escalation and arms race in the region; Emphasizing the fact that the new security challenges are multidimensional and transnational in nature, and therefore need to be addressed in the context of a multilateral regional architecture, based on mutual trust and cooperation among countries; Noting that the pattern of historical development Asia-Pacific region had caused the present day lack of an integrated, coherent architecture of security and cooperation, and that this region, characterized by the diversity of cultures and religions, variety of political systems and development models, multiplicity of conflicts and threads, needs contemporary architecture of security and cooperation; Stating that most reasonable way to create such architecture is to proceed with development of multilateral network diplomacy and establishment of widespread partnership network of entities and forums in Asia-Pacific region; Stating that the bias towards retaining and strengthening the enclosed, narrowly bounded defense alliances in Asia-Pacific strains the tension, aggravates mutual distrust in the region, fixes the old dividing lines and draws the new ones, contradicts the present day’s realities and trend of the development of the modern world, the nature and scale of challenges and threads which the region faces; Noting that in the area of security there is no alternative to the collective efforts to secure regional peace and stability, to the achievement of cooperation based on well recommended multilateral non-block associations through further development of friendly bilateral relations between the Asia-Pacific countries, not aimed against the third party states, and through promotion and strengthening of the confidence-building measures in different areas; Convinced that dialog is the ideal path to solving existing differences among States and that peace is the ultimate end of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum; Stating that no political divergence justifies military actions against civilians and that war acts constitute a violation of the elementary rights of the population; Reaffirming the unequivocal condemnation of military operations as a solution to differences among countries; Recognizing that the fundamental duty of the region’s nations is to actively cooperate to achieve the peaceful solution of differences between the Asia-Pacific region’s countries; Apprehending also that the global financial and economic crisis has brought to the countries of the region new acute problems – turmoil in financial markets, threats to energy and food security; Realizing that the inevitable consequence of the above said is not only the increased risk of internal destabilization in certain countries, but also the aggravation of competition between the countries regarding the access to energy resources, to strategic transport routes, to finance sources and to consumer markets; Sharing the understanding that the advent of these challenges has once again highlighted absence of any alternative to the joint efforts by all Asian-Pacific countries to ensure political stability and sustainable regulated development; Acknowledging that it is impossible to counter these threats on one nation’s own; RESOLVES TO: 1. Insist on the need for Member States of the APPF to intensify their cooperation within the framework of APEC to address the challenges and threats, both traditional and non-traditional, to the security of the economies and citizens of Asia Pacific. 2. Reiterate the unequivocal condemnation of all development of nuclear weaponry and their use in the Asia-Pacific region, in the understanding that these actions only lead to a severe compromise of peace and stability in the region. 3. Promote cooperation among the countries for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. 4. Call upon the Asia-Pacific countries reject the production and use of weapons of mass destruction, renouncing their use even as dissuasive or counter-attack instruments, opting for dialogue and diplomatic negotiations as the path to solving differences. 5. Urge the States to implement and fully comply with the obligations contemplated at the time of signing the relevant instruments against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, such as the Treaty for Non-Proliferation of Nuclear weapons, as well as conventions concerning chemical and biological weapons, establishing environments of cooperation that ensure their effective compliance. 6. Urge member States to adopt the United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 1540 and to carry out actions to prevent terrorist groups from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction. 7. Request countries with nuclear capability to strengthen control over their nuclear production, especially regarding the origin, processing and destination of fissile material and its unrestricted supervision by the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAN), regardless of whether they may have signed or not the Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. 8. Call upon countries to exercise a strict control over their military arsenals and war equipment, in order to prevent their illicit trade. 9. Urge countries producing state of the art technology to carefully supervise the export processes of sensitive technologies, so as to ensure that they are not used for illicit ends by terrorist groups or States seeking to acquire the ability to produce weapons of mass destruction. 10. Call upon member parliaments to jointly work towards creating an instrument for regional verification that allows to make the distinction between nuclear production processes for peaceful means and those processes that are carried out for the purpose of producing weapons, ensuring free access to the benefits of nuclear technology without compromising the region’s safety. 11. Invite the APPF parliamentarians to actively collaborate with the efforts to disarm and fight proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, fostering the creation of control mechanisms for WMD within their respective parliaments and governments. 12. Support the move towards establishment of an open transparent and equal security system in the region, predicated on collective non-block basis, the norms and principles of international law and account of the legitimate interests of all countries of the region; 13. Suggest to progress in this direction through the development of multilateral network diplomacy, including the parliamentary diplomacy; 14. Stress the need for practical steps to enhance regional security, meaning, above all, to carry out confidence-building measures in the military area, and to bridge the bilateral and multilateral military cooperation that is not directed against any third-party countries; 15. Call upon the Parliaments and the Governments of the region countries to give priority to the strengthening of the legal framework of security in the Asia-Pacific region and to more distinct formalization of the military and political commitments of the states of the region, which should envisage confirmation of the principle of indivisibility of security, the deployment of conventional weapons on the basis of the principle of reasonable sufficiency, and bringing the military doctrines of the states of the region to a non-offensive essence. 16. Call for an exchange of information among the region’s parliamentarians concerning issues of safety, so as to prevent unilateral actions that may lead to a larger scale confrontation in the region.
19APPF/RES/16
RESOLUTION ON THE SITUATION ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA (Sponsored by Canada, Indonesia, Japan and the Republic of Korea)
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is a great concern not only for Northeast Asia but also for the Asia-Pacific region, and that the constructive engagement of the international community in the issue of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula benefits the whole peninsula; Noting the Resolution on the Situation of the Korean Peninsula and the Joint Communique adopted at the Eighteenth Annual Meeting of the APPF in January 2010, the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks in September 2005, the Chairman’s Statement of the Eighth ASEM in October 2010, U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718 and 1874, the South-North Declaration in October 2007, and the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration in September 2002; Confirming the need for exhaustive explanation and resolution of humanitarian concerns by DPRK for the entire international community; Emphasizing the importance of reinforcing regional and international cooperation to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula; Reconfirming that the nuclear and missile development on the Korean Peninsula is a threat to the peace and stability not only of the region but also of the international community as a whole and cannot be accepted under any circumstances; Expressing deep concern over the recent deterioration of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, such as the sinking of the Korean naval vessel Cheonan in March 2010 and the artillery shelling on Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010; Welcoming the fact that the leaders of Japan, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea shared the view to continue to cooperate closely at the Trilateral Summit held in May 2010; Recognizing any additional development of nuclear weapons will destabilize and threaten the non-proliferation regime and world order; RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge that all countries concerned fulfill their responsibility as members of the international community to abide by relevant U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718 and 1874 and create the right circumstance for faithful negotiation among themselves; 2. Call upon DPRK and relevant parties to reaffirm their commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula; 3. Request APPF members to confirm, once again, the importance of a nuclear weapons–free Korean Peninsula for the peace and stability not only of the peninsula but also of the Asia Pacific and implement relevant UNSC Resolutions in a full and steady manner; 4. Confirm that the process of the Six-Party Talks is an effective framework for the peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, call upon DPRK and the relevant parties to take concrete measures towards the implementation of the September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, and express the support of APPF members for this process; 5. Call upon DPRK to take concrete actions to promptly resolve all issues, such as the missile issue and humanitarian concerns of the international community, including but not limited to serious shortages of food, medical and other humanitarian services in DPRK; 6. Call for resolute and swift response by the international community to prevent the recurrence of provocations on the peninsula, such as the Yeonpyeong incident; 7. Call upon DPRK to fully comply with its NPT and IAEA safeguards obligations and other international regimes regulating weapons of mass destruction. 19APPF/RES/17
RESOLUTION ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Affirming the responsibility of the international community to promote peace, human rights and respect for international law; Convinced that the resolution of final status issue must be addressed through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties for the attainment of comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East; Reiterating its vision of a region where all states live side by side in peace and security; Reaffirming that a just and lasting solution to the conflict must be consistent with UNSC Resolutions; Expressing serious concern about the suspension of the direct negotiations between the Israel and the Palestinians and urge the resumption of direct negotiations as soon as possible; Expressing support for the Middle East peace process and the efforts to reach a final and lasting settlement between Israeli and Palestinian sides as soon as possible; RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge both Israeli and Palestinian sides to fulfill their obligations under the Quartet’s Roadmap 2. Urge both Israeli and the Palestinian side to halt the use of force and achieve a durable unconditional cessation of violence; 3. Call upon the Israeli Government to freeze all settlement activities in the West Bank; 4. Affirm again the establishment of the Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and to call upon Israel and the Palestinian Authority to strive for building a proper environment for establishing a future Palestinian state; 5. Confirm that creating a viable Palestinian economy premised on tangible improvement of living standard is necessary for the building of a Palestinian state and therefore call upon the international community to support this end; 6. Urge all sides to improve humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip; 7. Support the efforts of the international community extend support and cooperation to the Middle East peace process.
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