At
the invitation of the Lao National Assembly, the 17th Annual Meeting of the
Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) was held in Vientiane, the capital of
the Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 11-15th January 2009 with
participants from 22 member parliaments, 1 observer country (Brunei Darussalam)
and 1 special guest (Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The list of participants
is attached.
The
Executive Committee convened its meeting on the 11th January 2009. The report
of the Executive Committee meeting is attached.
The
inaugural ceremony was held on the 12th January 2009. His Excellency Mr.
Thongsing Thammavong, President of the 17th APPF and President of the Lao
National Assembly delivered the opening speech in which he extended a warm
welcome to all participants and declared the 17th Annual Meeting of the APPF
officially open.
Honorable
Mr. Yasuhiro Nakasone, APPF Honorary President’s message was delivered at the
Meeting by Mr. Yanagimoto, Acting Head of the Japanese Delegation, and Mr.
Lindsay Tisch, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of New Zealand
addressed the participants. Opening remarks were also made by Mr. Anders
Johnsson, the IPU Secretary General.
Delegations
were honored and pleased to have had the opportunity to call on His Excellency
Mr. Choummaly Sayasone, President of the Lao PDR, and His Excellency Mr.
Bouasone Bouphavanh, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR.
At
the plenary session on economic and trade issues, delegates discussed a number
of topics and drafted resolutions on overcoming the global financial crisis,
negotiations of the Doha Round, sustainable tourism, food security, energy
security, the world economic situation and raising the level of trade and
capital flows within the Asia Pacific.
At the plenary session on
APPF matters, participants discussed a number of specific topics regarding the
future of APPF, and agreed to convene the 18th APPF Annual Meeting
from 17th – 23rd January, 2010 in Singapore at the invitation of the Parliament
of Singapore. The Japanese delegation took the floor and introduced the
proposal made by the Honorary President of the APPF, the Honorable Mr. Yasuhiro
Nakasone, that the Japanese Diet will host the APPF-20 Annual Meeting in 2012
which will commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the APPF and consider
the future role of the APPF. The 17th Annual Meeting of the APPF
adopted 16 resolutions on the aforementioned issues. These resolutions are
attached.
The meeting thanked the
drafting committee for its efforts in developing a package of resolutions and
the joint communiqué which represent the meaningful outcome of the meeting.
The 17th Annual Meeting
of the APPF expressed its high appreciation and gratitude to the Lao National
Assembly for its organization, hospitality and arrangements which made the 17th
Annual Meeting of the APPF a success. Special thanks go in particular to His
Excellency Mr. Thongsing Thammavong, the President of the 17th Annual Meeting
of the APPF and the President of Lao National Assembly, for his excellent
guidance, and to the Lao delegation and all the staff of the secretariat for
their hard work, thus bringing the current meeting to a successful conclusion.