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JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ 1. At the invitation of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, the Eighteenth Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) was held in Singapore from 17 to 22 January 2010. 134 parliamentarians from 21 member countries of the APPF and one observer country attended the Annual Meeting. The full list of participants is attached in Appendix 1. 2. The APPF Executive Committee convened on 17 January 2010 to approve the agenda and working programme for the Annual Meeting. The Executive Committee also endorsed the proposals by the Oceania sub-region to have Australia as the subregion’s APPF Executive Committee member till April 2011, and for Marshall Islands to replace New Zealand as the sub-region’s APPF Executive Committee member from May 2010 to April 2012. The report of the Executive Committee meeting is attached in Appendix 2. 3. On 18 January 2010, President of the 18th APPF and Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, extended a warm welcome to all participants and declared the Annual Meeting open. In his opening address, Mr. Abdullah noted that the Asia-Pacific landscape has evolved with the expansion of political, economic, social as well as cultural ties. The APPF can contribute significantly towards closer cooperation of the Asia-Pacific by continuing to promote greater dialogue and understanding among peoples and countries in the region. 4. His Excellency Takuji Yanagimoto, Acting Leader of the Japanese APPF Delegation and Member of House of Representatives delivered a special message from His Excellency Yasuhiro Nakasone, Honorary Chairman of APPF. Mr Nakasone said the APPF has worked tirelessly and resolutely to tackle the region's challenges and build constructive consensus. This has helped to build up trust, friendships and understanding among Parliamentarians in the Asia-Pacific region. At the same event, His Excellency Dr Xaysomphone Phomvihane, Leader of the Laos APPF Delegation and Vice President of the National Assembly of Lao PDR, also addressed the delegates. Noting the challenges facing the region, Dr Phomvihane expressed the hope that Parliamentarians attending the 18th APPF would focus their efforts on finding solutions to issues affecting the well-being of the people in the region. 5. The Leaders of the delegations paid a courtesy call on the President of the 18th APPF and Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi and on the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Lee Hsien Loong. 6. At the opening plenary session, the Report of the Executive Committee was adopted and approved by the Annual Meeting. On the agenda topic of political and security matters in the Asia-Pacific, delegates engaged in wide-ranging discussions covering terrorism and ship pirating, cooperation, and peace and stability in the region and proposed resolutions on the situations in Myanmar, the Middle East Peace Process, and the Korean Peninsula. 7. At the plenary session on economic and trade issues in the Asia-Pacific, delegates discussed the positive outcome of the APEC Leaders week in 2009 and the global economic situation, and proposed several resolutions pertaining to regional collaboration on social measures to protect vulnerable groups, trade liberalization and facilitation, and energy security. 8. At the plenary session on regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, delegates discussed and proposed resolutions on cooperation on rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts after earthquakes and natural disasters, climate change, water and environmental sustainability, and fostering the Asia-Pacific community. This plenary session also tackled the issue of the future role of the APPF. 9. At the final plenary session, the 18th Annual Meeting of the APPF adopted 14 resolutions, based on the topics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. The full list of resolutions adopted is attached in Appendix 3. 10. Delegates also accepted Mongolia’s kind invitation to host the 19th Annual Meeting in 2011. 11. At the conclusion, the Annual Meeting thanked the Drafting Committee for its tireless efforts on the Joint Communiqué and the related resolutions, which contributed to the successful outcome of the Meeting. 12. The Annual Meeting also expressed its heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to the President of the 18th APPF and Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, for his hospitality and presidency of the 18th APPF, and to the Secretariat and the staff for their hard work and excellent arrangements. ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS 18APPF/RES/1 RESOLUTION ON REGIONAL COLLABORATION ON SOCIAL MEASURES IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN (Sponsored by Australia) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Noting that the global financial and economic crisis has resulted in the most severe global recession and the largest fall in world trade flows since the Second World War; Having regard to the resulting increased unemployment, under-employment, loss of income and intergenerational poverty traps; Recognizing that women and children are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and inadequate access to education and healthcare (such as H1N1 vaccination) in these circumstances; Reaffirming the need to adhere to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the face of the current challenges; Noting the importance of regional frameworks and forums which strengthen the Asia-Pacific community and advance common interests; Welcoming the outcomes of the APEC meetings in November 2009; Resolves to: 1. Call upon Asia-Pacific parliaments to strengthen national measures and regional cooperation to reduce the enormous human cost of the current financial and economic downturn and to ensure a sustained and cohesive regional recovery; 2. Reaffirm the importance of open and inclusive regional economic architecture directed towards sustainable economic growth and development; 3. Support efforts by member states, multilateral organizations, and nongovernmental organizations to promote regional collaboration and partnerships on measures designed to build human capital and social resilience; 4. Reaffirm the need for regional cooperation to continue humanitarian and development assistance measures; 5. Encourage a renewed regional cohesion in addressing the issues of poverty, hunger and gender inequality and improving access to education, vocational 18APPF/RES/2 RESOLUTION ON TRADE FACILITATION (Sponsored by Mexico) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Considering that trade facilitation is essential to increase trade and expand the benefits derived from trade liberalization; Recalling the Singapore Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), whose recommendations led to the mandate of the General Council of August 2004 to launch negotiations for trade facilitation; Stressing the importance of technical assistance and capacity building in trade facilitation, and effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on the subject; Noting the desirability of dialogue and cooperation between the public and private sectors, and support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to the success of trade facilitation processes; Recognizing the importance of dissemination of information and experiences on best practices for trade facilitation and the coordinated management of borders; Taking into account the desirability of identifying and eliminating domestic regulations that may constitute barriers to trade; Convinced that trade facilitation is essential to achieving greater trade integration and improve the competitiveness of our economies; Resolves to: 1. Promote trade facilitation to mitigate the effects of the economic and financial crisis, reduce trade transaction costs and offset the effects of the fall in demand for goods and services; 2. Increase the efficiency and capacity of trade gateways, such as ports and airports and business corridors, including multi-modal freight transport; 3. Modernize and improve border management institutions, processes and technologies for border management; 4. Rationalize and eliminate regulations and procedures that increase trade transaction costs, such as import/export licensing; 5. Improve the efficiency of markets for trade facilitation services, such as logistics, transport security and certification of imports and exports, through private sector capacity building, competition policies, and appropriate reforms of prices and contract regulations; 6. Promote the exchange of information about successful strategies for trade facilitation, and tools to increase efficiency of supply chains in the Asia-Pacific; 7. Recommend our governments draw up an analysis of the Aid for Trade (WTO programme), so that developing countries develop the knowledge and infrastructure to benefit from WTO agreements; 8. Urge the governments of the region to prevent the establishment of trade barriers, new restrictions on exports or measures incompatible with the principles and WTO rules; 9. Urge our governments to conclude regional trade integration processes to facilitate trade and investment across borders. 18APPF/RES/3 RESOLUTION ON PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE GROUPS AMID THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRISIS (Sponsored by Mexico) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Considering that the economic and financial crisis has exposed our growing interdependence, and the need to strengthen cooperation to achieve a more just and equitable development; Noting that, in light of the negative effects of the economic and financial crisis, it is essential to intensify our cooperative efforts at national, regional and multilateral levels to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Recalling the call made by the G20 to respond to the economic and financial crisis in a comprehensive manner, considering its social impact, and the conditions for stability and long-term sustainability; Aware of the challenges facing the region in the field of health, education, infrastructure, and social protection systems, and the risk of a greater lag in the absence of comprehensive strategies to address the adverse effects of the economic downturn; Acknowledging that parliaments, through the adoption of public budgets from a gender and social justice perspective, play a key role in reducing the adverse effects of the crisis on vulnerable groups; Noting that recent signs of economic recovery should not encourage complacency but rather serve as a stimulus to lay the institutional and regulatory foundations that allow us to avoid past mistakes; Recognizing that proper management of the global crisis opens a window of opportunity to address various issues of common concern in the Asia-Pacific region, such as energy and food security; Resolves to: 1. Urge the parliaments of the region to assess the most effective means to mitigate the adverse effects of the crisis with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable in our societies; 2. Encourage governments to maintain and strengthen macroeconomic coordination to provide the stability necessary for the promotion of social development; 3. Call upon developed countries and international financial institutions to implement strategies consistent with national objectives of developing countries in terms of sustained growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development; 4. Invite governments to include parliamentarians in their official delegations to attend forums and conferences convened to promote coordinated responses to the economic and financial crisis; 5. Encourage governments to move towards greater trade liberalization, so that developing countries participate in and benefit from international trade, in favour of disadvantaged groups; 6. Reject any protectionist policy, inconsistent with the principles, rules and regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO); 7. Confirm our commitment to achieving the MDGs and contribute to eradicating poverty and promoting social development, indispensable for full economic recovery; 8. Urge parliaments, governments, and international financial institutions to strengthen social security programs to address the damaging effects of the crisis, particularly on vulnerable groups; 9. Encourage governments to continue implementing policies of redistribution and economic stimulus programs, in order to protect jobs and boost domestic consumption. 18APPF/RES/4 RESOLUTION ON IMPACT OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRISIS ON HUMAN SECURITY (Sponsored by Indonesia) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Noting that the global economic and financial crisis has brought about severe impacts on financial conditions and economic slowdown, becoming a serious threat to human security in the Asia-Pacific region; Expressing concern over the impact of the global economic and financial crisis on the economic and financial conditions of APPF Member Countries and on vulnerable people, which causes increasing unemployment levels; Recognizing that a safeguard mechanism is extremely necessary to cope with the downside risks of the global economic and financial crisis that threaten the security of human lives; Expressing confidence that APPF Member Countries, along with their human resources and technology, have considerable potential for overcoming this global economic and financial crisis through close coordination and cooperation; Welcoming the 17th APEC Economic Leaders Declaration and joint statement made by the 21st APEC Ministerial Meeting agreed upon in Singapore in November 2009 in particular in addressing global economic and financial crisis and enhancing human security; Resolves to: 1. Welcome and support APPF member governments’ efforts in enhancing human security through: countering terrorism, strengthening energy security, improving food security, strengthening food safety, and ensuring health treatment to respond to public health threats; 2. Call upon APPF Member Countries to enhance coordination and cooperation and to take comprehensive measures to stabilize global markets, to boost global economic growth, and to effectively mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis on vulnerable people; 3. Urge APPF Member Countries to make continuous and concerted efforts in supporting business, particularly small and medium enterprises and in promoting economic and technical cooperation in such fields as the development of human resources, information and technology; 4. Urge advanced countries within the APPF Member Countries to assist developing countries to accelerate their economic development by transferring relevant science and technology and by providing development assistance so as to enhance the implementation of human security programs in the Asia Pacific; 5. Call upon APPF Member Parliaments to encourage their respective governments to develop appropriate and effective economic and financial regulations to ensure the resumption of economic growth, the stabilization of global financial markets, and the mitigation of negative impacts of global financial crisis on vulnerable people in the Asia-Pacific; 6. Recommend APPF Member Parliaments to be committed to providing legislative support for the protection of human security in their respective countries; 7. Call for cooperation among nations and regional bodies in the Asia-Pacific to prevent negative impacts caused by global economic conditions in order to enhance human security in the region. 18APPF/RES/5 RESOLUTION ON SITUATION IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA (Sponsored by Japan and Korea) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming that the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula is a great concern for Northeast Asia, as well as for the Asia-Pacific region, and that the constructive engagement of the international community in the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula is beneficial for the whole Peninsula; Noting the Resolution on the Situation of the Korean Peninsula, and the Joint Communiqué adopted at the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the APPF in January 2009, the G8 L`Aquila Summit Leaders Declaration in July 2008, the Joint Statement of the Six Party Talks in September 2005, the Chairman’s Statement of the Seventh ASEM in October 2008, the Resolution 1695, 1718 and 1874 of the U.N. Security Council, the Resolutions on the Situation of Human Rights in DPRK adopted at the UN General Assembly in December, the South-North Declaration in October 2007, and the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration in September 2002; Confirming that the resolution of the nuclear and missile issues and humanitarian concerns of the international community in North Korea are problems; Emphasizing the importance of reinforcing regional and international cooperation to maintain the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula; Reconfirming North Korea’s missile launch in April 2009, nuclear test in May 2009 and that ballistic missile launch in July 2009 are threats to the peace and stability not only of the region but also of the international community as a whole, and cannot be condoned under any circumstances; Welcoming that at the Trilateral Summit held in October 2009 the leaders of Japan, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea shared the view to continue to cooperate closely within the Six-Party Talks framework; Recognizing any additional developments of nuclear weapons will destabilize and threaten the non-proliferation regime and world order; Resolves to: 1. Urge North Korea to abide by relevant UNSC Resolutions not to conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology and to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, as well as ballistic missile programs, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner; 2. Request APPF members, to confirm once again the importance of a nuclear weapons-free Korean Peninsula for the peace and stability of the Peninsula as well as of the Asia-Pacific region and request the full and steady implementation of the relevant UNSC Resolutions; 3. Confirm that the process of the Six-Party Talks is the most realistic framework for the peaceful solution of the nuclear issue of North Korea, and call upon North Korea to return immediately to the Six-Party Talks without preconditions and take concrete measures towards the implementation of the September 2005 Joint Statement, and express the support of APPF members for this process; 4. Call upon North Korea to take concrete actions to promptly resolve all issues, such as the missile issue and humanitarian concerns of the international community; 5. Demand North Korea to fully comply with the NPT and IAEA safeguards obligations; 6. Call for North Korea to never spread nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction to terrorists or any other states; 7. Underline that true reconciliation and cooperation between the North and the South through the early and complete resolution of nuclear issues will lead to an inter-Korean relationship of harmony and co-prosperity; 8. Confirm adherence of the APPF member countries to the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and its denuclearized status. 18APPF/RES/6 RESOLUTION ON GLOBAL ECONOMIC SITUATION – PROMOTING TRADE LIBERALIZATION AND COMBATING PROTECTIONISM (Sponsored by Australia and Singapore) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Recalling the Resolution APPF/RES/6 on the World Economic Situation adopted at the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum on 11-15 January 2009 in Vientiane, Lao PDR and the APPF's role in "open and non-exclusive cooperation for the expansion of free trade and investment"1; Recognizing the severe impact of the global financial and economic crisis and its negative repercussions on the global economy, particularly its severe adverse effects on world trade volumes, resulting in increased domestic pressure for protectionist measures; Emphasizing that maintaining open markets, increasing trade liberalization and close cooperation both within and outside the Asia-Pacific are critical to global and regional economic recovery; 12(b) of the APPF Rules of Procedure Noting that continued inability to conclude the Doha Round could prolong global economic uncertainty and threaten the credibility of the multilateral trading system; Aware that more liberalized and sustainable trade has already delivered significant benefits to countries in the Asia-Pacific region by accelerating economic growth and raising millions of people out of poverty; Aware of the threat to global economic recovery if increasing protectionism and backsliding on trade liberalization and competition occurs; Welcoming the favourable signs of recovery in Asia-Pacific economies with the effective implementation of economic stimulus policies, and bolstered by the continued efforts to reject protectionism and keep markets open across the region; Resolves to: 1. Recognize the crucial importance of concluding the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, consistent with its mandate and based on the progress already made including with regard to modalities; 2. Reaffirm the pledges made in various forums, including the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, the 15th ASEAN Summit in Thailand, the 17th APEC Economic Leaders meeting in Singapore, and most recently the 7th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, calling for the ambitious and balanced conclusion of the Doha Round in 2010 to provide global economic stimulus and insurance against trade protectionism; 3. Emphasize the need for APPF WTO members to translate these recent highlevel political commitments to concluding the Doha Round into substantive progress by exercising maximum flexibility and pragmatism, bearing in mind the centrality of the multilateral process and utilizing all possible avenues to accelerate the pace of negotiations in order to secure convergence on a final package; 4. Stress the importance of cooperating with the WTO and other relevant Bretton Woods Institutions to promote trade liberalization and governance reforms, combat protectionism and strengthen the momentum towards strong, sustainable and balanced global economic growth by supporting and strengthening their mechanisms; 5. Affirm our commitment to work with our respective governments to reject all forms of protectionism and to refrain from introducing new barriers to trade and investment, including measures that may be considered as WTO-consistent but nonetheless have a significant protectionist effect, and to promptly rectify such measures where implemented; 6. Call on APPF Member Governments to continue the growth momentum of the economies of the Asia-Pacific region – the fastest-growing region in the world – by working closely, including through Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the proposed regional trade agreements PACER Plus and Trans-Pacific Partnership to facilitate open and fair trade across the region; 7. Support the recommendations from the 7th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva aimed at strengthening the WTO’s role in the upholding of agreed rules and regulations for international trade, and at ensuring that the organization remains credible and relevant. 18APPF/RES/7 RESOLUTION ON WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (Sponsored by Mexico and Singapore) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming that economic growth, social development and environmental protection are the three dimensions of sustainable development; Acknowledging that the challenges towards achieving water and environmental sustainability are interrelated and complex, and will require long-term forward planning to balance developmental demands with the need to preserve water resources and protect the environment; Cognizant that a comprehensive and integrated approach through concerted individual, regional and international action will be necessary to stem further deterioration of environmental and water quality; Aware that water is the basic element of life and an indispensable resource for our welfare, prosperity and global stability; Recognizing that sustainable management of water for human consumption is an essential tool to eradicate poverty and promote economic and social development of our peoples; Recognizing the rising international concern over environmental degradation resulting from rapid urbanization and population growth, and the urgent need to improve existing conditions of the environment and waterways; Deeply concerned by the progressive degradation of ecosystems, especially those that naturally capture, filter, store, and release water; Aware that the integrated management of water resources can help address the environmental and social problems resulting from the unsustainable consumption of water; Stressing the need to devote more resources not only for infrastructure, but also to promote decentralized management of water resources and institutional capacity building; Recognizing the importance of strengthening the links between the global, regional, national and local actions to prevent, respond and mitigate the effects of natural disasters; Reiterating the urgent need to coordinate and strengthen measures to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002, including the goal of halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe water, and the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation; Recognizing the results of the Fifth World Water Forum, held in Istanbul, Turkey in March 2009, including the Ministerial Declaration and the recommendations of the Istanbul Water Guide; Emphasizing the important role of parliamentarians and local authorities to increase sustainable access to water and sanitation services and to promote the integrated management of water resources; Committed to make every effort to provide water and sanitation to the population that still does not have these services; Resolves to: 1. Promote the adoption of public policies aimed at conservation and protection of ecosystems through sustainable management of water resources: 2. Include the global water agenda in national development strategies, and strengthen international cooperation to achieve the integrated management of water resources: 3. Encourage the adoption of appropriate technologies and measures for management of water demand, in order to improve efficiency in water use, as well as promote efforts to intensify regional and international cooperation in the exchange and implementation of environmentally sustainable practices, including Research and Development, information exchange and application of environmentally-sound technologies: 4. Urge the parliaments of the region to refine the legal framework on water resources, taking into account their interaction with national, regional and local policies on land use: 5. Foster partnerships and collaborations and promote greater ownership amongst stakeholders in the public and private sectors to keep our environment and waterways clean through environmental education programmes and campaigns; 6. Promote legislative initiatives to conserve and protect aquatic ecosystems and their impact on the formation and preservation of water supplies for human consumption; 7. Promote financial and technical cooperation, and capacity building in conservation and environmental protection, including water supplies for human consumption; 8. Urge the countries of the region to promote proactive initiatives for the implementation of the 2002 Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development; 9. Call for greater concerted efforts by our governments to ratify regional and international Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and to fulfill their obligations and actively participate in the activities under such MEAs; 10. Support the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development’s Water Action Network Database; 11. Support active participation in international water and environment forums in the Asia Pacific such as the Singapore International Water Week, the Asia-Pacific Water Summit, and the World Cities Summit, so as to share best practices and build up capacities of APPF Member Countries; 12. Urge our governments to enhance capabilities to address the challenges of balancing developmental demands while maintaining water and environmental sustainability, by seeking to leverage on technologies, such as water recycling, waste water treatment and technologies that reduce energy consumption of water production and treatment; 13. Continue to work with governments, local authorities and local communities in the sustainable management of water resources, including issues related to access to safe water and sanitation services. 18APPF/RES/8 RESOLUTION ON NATURAL DISASTER (Sponsored by Indonesia and Japan) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Expressing our deep condolences to those who lost their lives in the unprecedented disasters (the earthquake off Samoa and the consequent tsunami, and the earthquakes off the coast of Padang in Indonesia’s West Sumatra in September 2009, as well as the earthquake in Haiti on 12 January 2010) ; and sympathizing with those who survived the disasters; Expressing our full support to the countries and international organizations that rapidly began search, emergency relief and medical aid activities after the disasters had occurred and immediately announced personnel and material assistance for the disaster-affected areas as well as for the many well-motivated people who rushed to the disaster areas from around the world; Expressing our respect for all those involved in assistance activities following these disasters; Concerned with the fact that most Asia-Pacific countries lie on the “ring of fire” which are vulnerable to natural disasters, and that the region geologically faces a high risk of earthquake and consequent tsunami; Recognizing that the damage caused by natural disasters hinders the economic growth and development of nations affecting human security; Recognizing that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the disaster-hit countries, as well as the protection of citizens from the impact of natural disasters, are important issues for the future of the international community as a whole and in particular that of the Asia-Pacific region; Reaffirming that for the emergency relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction involved in such large-scale and serious disasters as these, in addition to the responses of individual states, it is important for the international community to pull together in extending support, including financial aid; Noting the resolution on the El Nino phenomenon issued by the 6th APPF meeting in 1998, the resolution on disasters and civil protection issued by the 9th APPF meeting in 2001 and the resolution on the earthquake and tsunami disaster issued by the 13th APPF meeting in 2005; Expressing full support for the Cha-am Hua Hin Statement on EAS Disaster Management issued by the 4th East Asia Summit (EAS) in October 2009, the 17th APEC Economic Leaders Declaration and joint statement made by the 21st APEC Ministerial meeting agreed upon in Singapore in November 2009, which in particular addresses natural disasters and the enhancement of human security; Resolves to: 1. Ensure that all parliaments continue to oversee the efforts taken by their governments in search, emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities relating to these disasters and in supporting these activities within a framework of close coordination and solidarity centered on the United Nations; 2. Welcome and support APPF member governments’ efforts in enhancing human security by developing disaster management and emergency response programs; 3. Declare the APPF’s intention to continue actively making recommendations with regard to search, emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities relating to natural disasters, including the necessity of international coordination and cooperation, in order to effectively mitigate the impact of natural disasters on human security; 4. Request all countries and international organizations to create or develop early warning systems, including that for tsunami, dialogue, regional network, and Standard Operating Procedures as a means to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. In particular, request them to make efforts to establish or enhance frameworks in order to quickly and efficiently share information concerning collateral damage caused by disasters, including the spread of infections and damage to nuclear-related facilities, so that those frameworks can contribute to preventing or minimizing the collateral damage; 5. Urge APPF and its Member Countries to regularly hold regional forums on natural disasters, including inter-parliamentary ones, and to actively participate in an exchange of information and technology, as well as education on disaster management programs. 18APPF/RES/9 TERRORISM (Sponsored by Australia, Indonesia and Mexico) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming the previous resolutions concerning the fight against terrorism and organized crime, adopted unanimously by the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) Member Countries; Reiterating its strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations; considering them as criminal and unjustifiable, whenever and by whomsoever committed; Recognizing the fact that globalization has increased interaction among different cultures, religions, and beliefs. Therefore, the need for greater cooperation and understanding among cultures, religions, and civilizations, and enrichment of globalization with commonly shared values is extremely necessary; Convinced that terrorism constitutes a serious threat to democratic values, peace and security, and is the source of profound concern to the APPF Member Countries; Deeply concerned at the continuing acts of terrorism in the world; Stressing the need to strengthen further international cooperation to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in accordance with the principles of international law and international conventions on the subject; Concerned that terrorism can be aggravated by other transnational crimes like drug trafficking, money laundering, illicit arms trafficking, human trafficking, kidnapping, and shipping piracy, which can be used as direct support to this scourge, even as a funding source; Affirming that States must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law and should adopt such measures in accordance with international law, including international human rights norms, the international humanitarian law and refugee law; Convinced of the central place of parliaments in the prevention of terrorism and the progress made in improving national legislation on prevention and combating terrorism; Resolves to: 1. Call on all APPF Member Countries to accede to and implement fully United Nations counter-terrorism conventions and protocols as soon as possible; 2. Urge all APPF Member Countries to implement fully all United Nations Security Council counter-terrorism related resolutions; 3. Urge all APPF Member Countries to adopt effective legislative measures to counter terrorism financing in line with international standards; 4. Promote increased national, regional and international cooperation and coordination among all relevant agencies to enhance effective law enforcement, border control and intelligence sharing; 5. Strengthen the exchange of operational information, particularly in relation to activities and movements of terrorists and terrorist networks; terrorist financing; forgery of travel documents; trafficking of arms, explosives or dangerous materials; communication by terrorist groups and individuals; drug trafficking; money laundering; human trafficking; kidnapping; shipping piracy; and the threat represented by the possession of weapons of mass destruction by terrorist groups; 6. Call on APPF Member Countries to work urgently to prevent acts of terrorism, including through increased cooperation between parliaments and governments and full compliance with pertinent international agreements against terrorism; 7. Implement measures consistent with international human rights instruments and national laws, to ensure that refugee status is not abused by the perpetrators, organizers or facilitators of terrorist acts; 8. Urge APPF Member Countries to continue their efforts to harmonize domestic legislation in accordance with international standards to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism; 9. Strengthen the cooperative ties between the parliaments of the region and specialized international and regional organizations in order to understand and meet the training needs and capacity of national authorities responsible for preventing and combating these scourges; such measures may include joint training of officials of the Legislative and Judicial branches to strengthen control of money laundering as a source of funding for this type of crime; 10. Request APPF Member Countries to enhance mutual understanding and respect through amicable interaction among adherents of faiths; in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms; and in promoting interfaith dialogue; and 11. Call upon APPF Member Parliaments to complement and support the role of governments in implementing cooperative measures to prevent acts of terrorism and to enhance our commitment to deepening and broadening the interfaith dialogue to prevent terrorism for the benefit of a peaceful and fruitful Asia-Pacific relationship. 18APPF/RES/10 RESOLUTION ON FOSTERING THE ASIA-PACIFIC COMMUNITY (Sponsored by Chile) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Acknowledging that a progressive shift in the economic, political and security influence is taking place from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the new challenges and responsibilities that this movement will represent to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region in the twenty first century; Taking into account the interest in the idea of an Asia-Pacific community and the multiple calls to address the wider range of issues facing the region, made by diverse leaders of the Asia-Pacific region over the past year; Highlighting the increasing dynamism and integration attained by the regional institutions present in the Asia Pacific Region, as ASEAN, APEC, ASEAN+3 and EAS; Recalling the APPF's 1997 Declaration of Vancouver and seven principles, the 2001 Declaration of Valparaiso and the Pacific Basin Charter, APEC's 1994 Bogor Declaration and the 1995 Action Agenda adopted in the Osaka Meeting, and the 2005 Busan Road Map towards the Bogor goals, as well as the resolution on Building an Asia-Pacific Regional Community adopted at fifteenth and sixteenth APPF annual meeting; Supporting APEC’s adherence to open dialogue and regional cooperation; Understanding that the main lessons learned from the recent financial and economic crisis are that economies are dependent on global cooperation and cannot work in isolation; Noting the achievements obtained by ASEAN community, based on concerted and coordinated policies, that helped its member economies to cope with the global economic crisis; Convinced of the enormous potential of the collaboration among all members of the Asia-Pacific Region, which includes APEC, the East Asia Summit, and ASEAN+3, and of the fundamental and increasing relevance of Asia Pacific to the world; Resolves to: 1. Recommend to harness the experience of ASEAN in building an economic community capable of a multidimensional cooperation and which acts as an effective support network for the South East Asia countries in tackling the financial and economic global crisis; 2. Encourage APPF Member Countries to build deeper relations and linkages between APEC, ASEAN, ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit; 3. Support the efforts and actions to create a free and open trade network among ASEAN, ASEAN+3, Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) and APEC member economies, in order to reach a wider cooperation and trade community, incorporating all the accomplishments achieved by each one of these regional entities; 4. Call upon APPF Member Countries to raise the awareness of the growing importance of the Asia Pacific region to the world; 5. Urge all APPF Member Countries to reinforce policies directed to expand understanding among the Asia Pacific cultures and societies, in order to enhance communication and dynamism, embracing diversity as a decisive advantage. 18APPF/RES/11 RESOLUTION ON RESPONDING TO THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRISIS – WAY TO RECOVERY (Sponsored by Japan, Russia and Canada) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Recognizing that in 2008-2009 we confronted the greatest challenge to the world economy in our generation; Noting that national commitments to restore growth resulted in the largest and most coordinated fiscal and monetary stimulus ever undertaken; Noting the “Resolution on Overcoming the Global Financial Crisis” which was adopted in the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in January 2009 and the G20 “Leaders’ Statement: the Pittsburgh Summit” in September 2009; Affirming that the world economy has been gradually recovering, particularly in Asia, but it holds risks that the global recession could continue in the event of credit contractions or deteriorations of employment; Reconfirming that our priority tasks are managing the transition to across-the-board growth, more sustainable growth, and strengthening the International Financial Regulatory System; Confirming that experience has proven protectionist measures in trade and investment are harmful to the world economy and to efforts to overcome the current economic and financial crisis; Welcoming each country’s commitment toward the stability of the financial markets and the recovery of the orderly functioning of credit markets in international meetings such as the G20 Summit and APEC summit meeting; Resolves to: 1. Call upon APPF Member Countries to continue to implement their fiscal and monetary stimulus 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 implementation of the exit strategies and to continue to coordinate our policies, in order to achieve sustainable growth of the world economy; 2. Confirm that, while analyzing and reflecting on underlying causes that triggered the global recession and increasing transparency in complex financial instruments, APPF Member Countries share information and exchange policies through the annual meeting of the APPF, and continue to support authorities of each government in order to enhance the effectiveness of policies to promote the stability of economy and financial markets; 3. Strongly desire for the achievement of more sustainable growth by increasing investments in environmental friendly energy, believing that economic growth coexists with low-carbon technologies, to seek more effective energy production, more energy saving and energy conversion through state-of-the-art technological innovation as an example, and to ensure that such technological innovation will benefit all Asia-Pacific economies resulting in contributing to economic growth in the region; 4. Request APPF Member Countries to commit themselves to fighting against protectionism and to an ambitious and balanced conclusion of the Doha Round negotiations in 2010 in order to facilitate economic growth through free trade and investment; 5. Recommend to take action at the national and international level so that national authorities implement global standards consistently in a way that ensures a level playing field with the objective of avoiding fragmentation of markets, protectionism, and regulatory arbitrage; 6. Urge keeping markets open and free and reaffirm the commitments made by the Leaders of the Group of Twenty: to refrain from raising barriers or imposing new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export restrictions or implementing measures which are inconsistent to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules to stimulate exports and commit to rectify such measures as they arise; 7. Reaffirm the commitment in the Bogor Declaration, which was adopted by APEC Leaders in 1994, to achieve the long-term goal of free and open trade and investment within the Asia-Pacific region, with the expectation that it will be realised by APEC industrialized economies by the end of 2010 and by APEC developing economies by 2020, as declared. Welcome efforts by Japan as APEC chair toward the successful APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and APEC Ministers’ Meeting in 2010, and reaffirm the intention to cooperate with Japan in its capacity as chair; 8. Call upon all APPF Member Countries and regions to develop existing regional trade agreements and future economic frameworks such as East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA), and Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as means to complement and strengthen the multilateral trading system centered on the WTO, in such a way that will be transparent and globally beneficial and that will develop regional economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region; 18APPF/RES/12 RESOLUTION ON ENERGY SECURITY (Sponsored by Australia, Canada, Chile, Russia and Singapore) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Reaffirming the commitments made by the Parliamentary Members of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum on Energy Security, through the resolutions approved in our preceding meetings, in particular the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth annual meetings; Recognizing that energy is a fundamental component which plays a critical role in the economic development of nations around the world; Recognizing that access to adequate, diverse, reliable, affordable and clean energy is vital for the sustainable growth, prosperity and competitiveness of the region; Noting that access to energy supplies faces numerous challenges, including increasing global demand for energy, rising import dependency of the region, volatile fuel prices, limited and non-renewable nature of fossil fuels, and moves by governments to restrict energy-related CO2 emissions; Realizing that the Asia-Pacific region is expected to play an increasingly important role in global energy markets in the decades ahead; Considering that regional energy security is best achieved through cooperation among producing, transit, and consuming countries, as well as the promotion of efficient and well-functioning energy markets that are characterized by free and open energy trade and investment, market-based price signals and effective competition; Recognizing that fossil fuel subsidies encourage excessive consumption, reduce energy security and impede investment in clean energy sources; Recognizing that accelerated adoption of economically viable, clean and renewable energy technology and energy efficiency measures can contribute to meeting climate change objectives and promote energy security; Sharing the opinion that open energy markets are crucial to the development of renewable energy sources and the diffusion of less contaminating energy technologies contribute to energy security and sustainable economic growth; Persuaded that governmental action can provide the impetus and that public-private alliances need to be encouraged to promote innovation in renewable energy resources, and clean and efficient technologies; Realizing that energy infrastructure financing has become a significant challenge in response to the global financial crisis and economic downturn and that large-scale investment is needed to meet forecast energy demand; Understanding that energy security also involves risk management plans to deal with natural disaster scenarios that can affect energy infrastructure and pose threats to people and the environment; Convinced that the global character of this problem and the growing interdependence among nations with respect to energy makes it imperative that we develop common strategies to meet the challenge of energy security; Convinced that it is the duty of the parliaments to represent their citizens and the diverse range of opinions in the discussion on energy security, at both the national and regional levels; Resolves to: 1. Recognize and applaud the efforts of APPF Member Governments to promote cooperation in the development of energy programs to ensure access of all of the nations of the Asia-Pacific to essential energy sources, based on criteria of security, stability and rationality with respect to prices and quality; 2. Encourage APPF Member Governments to strengthen cooperation in sustainable energy development programs, to increase their efforts to share information about public policy, expertise and best practices, incentivise joint investment, promote public-private partnerships for the development and use of cutting edge technologies that contribute to meeting the challenges of climate change and ensuring the supply of energy at efficient prices; 3. Reaffirm the need to support regional energy demands through the promotion of open and competitive energy markets, and free and transparent trade and investment; 4. Promote stability and efficiency in energy markets by advancing efforts to create transparent, predictable and efficient national energy policies and regulatory environments and by encouraging the publication of complete, accurate, and timely data on oil production, consumption, refining and stock levels, as appropriate, on a regular basis; 5. Call on APPF Member Governments to develop policies that are in the common interest, that avoid energy shortages, that encourage a stable price structure, and that rigorously respect the commitments and responsibilities assumed by all parties; 6. Promote the implementation of policies to encourage the clean and efficient use of energy across all sectors; 7. Encourage APPF Member Governments to rationalize and phase out fossil fuel subsidies that encourage inefficient and excessive consumption, while recognizing the importance of providing those in need with targeted assistance and essential energy services; 8. Urge APPF Member Governments to promote the development of public and private research and innovation with respect to renewable energy sources and clean and efficient technologies as well as to take advantage of synergies through cooperative initiatives on a regional scale; 9. Recommend to APPF Member Parliaments, by introducing regulations and providing incentives that best suit the circumstances of each country, to encourage energy savings, stimulate the development of low cost energy sources, and to promote the production of, access to and use of renewable energies, such as biomass, wind, geothermal, hydro, wave, tidal, and solar; 10. Encourage efforts to develop and use innovative technologies that reduce the environmental impact of the use and production of hydrocarbon-based fuels. This includes technologies for “clean” coal production and consumption, oil production from bitumen sands, carbon capture and storage and deep-sea oil and gas production; 11. Encourage those who have or are considering plans relating to the development of nuclear energy to use technologies and develop regulatory regimes consistent with the safe and secure use of nuclear energy, as well as with the goal of peaceful nuclear energy use consistent with the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; 12. Encourage APPF Member Parliaments to recommend to their governments that they adopt, implement and oversee effective safety standards at all energy facilities, including drawing up contingency plans for emergency scenarios that could affect the infrastructure, particularly those located in areas of high risk for natural disasters; 13. Urge APPF Member Countries to facilitate technological development and the transfer of know-how with regard to energy matters, in collaboration with multilateral financial organizations, forums and other sub-regional institutions, research centers, and public and private initiatives; 14. Promote connectivity and the economic and energy integration in the Asia-Pacific region, in particular regional electricity and gas transmission grids and trade in electricity and environmental goods and services among the members of the APPF; 15. Encourage APPF Member C to be willing to exchange and share information, develop work networks, mobilize resources and strive to create collaborative initiatives that will provide energy security, enhance economic growth and promote social prosperity among the peoples of the Asia-Pacific region. 18APPF/RES/13 RESOLUTION ON PROMOTING YOUTH DIALOGUE (Sponsored by Chile, Indonesia, Mexico and Singapore) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Recognizing that youth are a country's future and that investment in youth and inclusion of youth should be a key component of a country's developmental plans; Recognizing that public decisions taken at the national and regional levels influence the long-term prospects of young people and the opportunities offered to them; Noting that today's youth are the most highly educated and trained generation in history and thus possess great potential for positive social and economic development both within their countries and in the world; Recognizing that the key issues confronting countries in today’s world transcend state boundaries and thus require international solutions; Recognizing that as the leaders and decision-makers of the future, it is important for the youth to develop greater awareness of regional and world affairs and become global citizens; Emphasizing the need to promote values of solidarity, justice, tolerance, equality, and peace in the region's youth; Recalling the importance of various declarations, such as the 64th UN General Assembly which proclaimed 2010 as the International Year of Youth, which urged member states to encourage the active participation of youth in all spheres of society; Recognizing that today's interconnected world is also one of unprecedented potential for collaboration and mutual benefit; Recognizing that youth dialogue is an effective way to cultivate and harness the potential of the youth; Emphasizing that the promotion of youth dialogue will bring about economic benefits such as strengthened business and trade networks, and also help to foster greater cultural and social understanding between countries, and reduce miscommunication and conflict; Recognizing that collaborations between a country's youth focal point and youth sector organizations with those from other countries are necessary to promote transnational youth dialogue by both public and private sector entities; Recognizing that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays an important role in promoting youth dialogue as it enables youth to overcome the barriers of geographical distance and socio-economic disadvantage; Recognizing that ICT should be used in tandem with other communication tools in promoting youth dialogue, as some disadvantaged groups of youth may not have access to ICT as yet; Noting that the World Youth Conference 2010 to be held in Mexico City in August is a good opportunity to coordinate joint action programmes to facilitate youth dialogue and promote youth development; Resolves to: 1. Encourage APPF Member Countries to create and strengthen channels of communication between youth, their governments, and other relevant stakeholders; 2. Urge APPF Member Parliaments to engage and take into account the interests of young people as one of the guiding principles of their actions; 3. Urge APPF Member Countries to develop the capabilities of their youth focal points and youth sector organizations to effectively facilitate and promote youth dialogue; 4. Call for APPF Member Countries to leverage on ICT to promote youth dialogue and strive towards making ICT accessible to youth regardless of their socioeconomic status; 5. Encourage APPF Member Countries to work collaboratively to create common platforms and cultural exchanges to enable and promote dialogue between their youth citizens and youth from other countries; 6. Encourage APPF Member Countries to profile and exchange experiences on youth-related initiatives through APPF platforms and mechanisms. 18APPF/RES/14 RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (Sponsored by Chile, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Philippines and Vietnam) THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM: Recognizing that climate change and environmental problems are global in nature and are among the most severe threats to humanity; Recognizing that climate change will result in increased extreme weather conditions such as heat waves, floods, droughts and severe storms, 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; Emphasizing the important role of the Copenhagen Accord which the 15th COP decided to take note of; which however does not set an overall target for reducing GHG emissions; 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 agreement to address climate change can facilitate the progress towards global economic recovery, energy security and sustainable development; Realizing the urgency for all countries to reach a 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; Reaffirming the central role that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol play in fostering international cooperation and action on climate change; Recognizing the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities; Welcoming the efforts made by the international community in the run-up to and during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009; 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 Copenhagen Accord, once operationalized, will benefit developing countries in mitigating 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; 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; Convinced that stabilizing GHG concentrations at an adequate level demands a gradual shift to low-emissions economic growth in all 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; 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; Acknowledging the determination of the countries of the Asia-Pacific to firmly and determinedly resolve the serious problems posed by climate change and the deterioration of the environment; 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 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; Acknowledging the role of APPF Member Countries in promoting climate change awareness and mitigation in their respective countries; Recalling 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; Recalling resolutions related to these problems which were adopted in past annual meetings of the APPF; Resolves to: 1. Take note of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial temperature, and express confidence that this goal can be achieved through international coordination; 2. Reaffirm our call to the developed countries to take the lead in reducing GHG emissions by establishing ambitious goals and implementing plans and in providing the necessary amount of financial and technical assistance to help developing countries adapt to the impact of climate change and develop in line with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol; 3. Welcome pledges made by developed countries including Japan’s pledge of 15 billion dollars for development assistance under the Hatoyama Initiative; 4. Urge all governments to build upon the Copenhagen Accord, and to conclude the Bali Roadmap negotiations within the framework of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol to reach a binding, comprehensive, ambitious and equitable climate change instrument that includes all countries in a meaningful way; 5. Request APPF Member Countries to support the Copenhagen Accord of which the 15th COP decided to take note as a basis for future negotiations, to actively contribute to the international negotiations aiming to establish a fair and effective international framework with participation of all major economies and to agree on their ambitious targets; 6. Call upon APPF Member Countries to set out ambitious quantified economywide emission reduction targets for Annex I Parties, and nationally appropriate mitigation actions for Non-Annex I Parties; 7. Call upon governments to develop their nationally appropriate mitigation actions, which can be subjected to international verification in accordance with guidelines adopted by the Conference Of the Parties (COP). 8. 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”; 9. Call upon APPF Member Countries to recognize the critical role of technology to respond to climate change and the need for technological breakthroughs and to cooperate among the Member Countries in dissemination of existing technologies and development, deployment and transfer of innovative technologies; 10. Call upon APPF Member Countries to actively undertake forest conservation, reforestation and afforestation and to promote a co-benefits approach that will lead to reducing GHG emissions and conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; 11. Urge APPF Member Countries to review their governments’ actions in future United Nations Climate Change Conferences, particularly the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP16/CMP6) which will be held in Mexico in November 2010; 12. Urge APPF Member Countries to share a common advocacy for greater emission cuts in various international parliamentary conferences and other international fora; 13. Call upon APPF Member Countries to undertake regulatory and legislative activities to address long-term challenges, namely climate change, noting that they play a pivotal role in the formation of political will towards low emissions economic growth; 14. 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; 15. Urge APPF Member Countries to cooperate in the preservation and protection of marine biodiversity and in the sustainable utilization of water resources and in solving environmental issues such as cross border air pollution, deterioration of marine environment and water contamination; 16. Call upon APPF Member Countries to increase efforts for a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss, and express reinforcement of cooperation toward the tenth meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the fifth meeting of the Conference Of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to be held in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan in 2010; 17. 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; 18. Call upon APPF Member Countries to promote the building of sound material cycle societies through the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Initiative; 19. 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; 20. Urge governments to increase funding to improve weather forecasting technology and to spread disaster education programmes in schools and universities; 21. 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.
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