WORDS OF WELCOME BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY, MR VAN DER LINDEN, TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN PARLIAMENTS FOR PEACE
(Strasbourg, Tuesday, 21 June 2005, 10 am)21/06 2005
In April this year, I had the privilege to address the Senior Advisory Council of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace in Manila. I had been invited to present the experience of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in promoting political cooperation and integration on the basis of our shared values.
The decision of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace to create an Asian Parliamentary Assembly within the next 5 years, modelled on our Parliamentary Assembly, is an impressive tribute to our work. The Association of Asian parliaments for Peace is the biggest sub-regional grouping in Asia, bringing together 40 parliaments.
As I said in Manila, of course an Asian mechanism should reflect Asia’s own historic experience and political, social and economic realities. But the values at the heart of any such initiative are universal and they apply to our European, as well as to Asian, societies.
In Manila, I invited the Senior Advisory Council of the AAPP to visit Strasbourg to get first-hand experience of the work of our Assembly, and of the Council of Europe in general. I am extremely pleased, and honoured, that you have taken up this invitation and therefore welcome most cordially to our Parliamentary Assembly:
His Excellency Chaudhary Amir Hussain, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan and President of the Asian Association of Parliaments for Peace;
His Royal Highness, Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia;
His Excellency - and my good friend - Jose de Venecia, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines;
His Excellency, Dr. Bhokin Bhalakula, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Thailand;
Honourable Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Opposition of the Parliament of Bangladesh and President of the 1st AAPP General Assembly; and
Mr Ji Peiding, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.
We are honoured to have you in our midst and hope that your meetings will contribute to your work on behalf of the people of Asia.
Let me also thank the Hanns Seidel Foundation for their generous support.
We look forward very much to hearing from you now directly about your projects and I give the floor to the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, His Excellency Chaudhary Amir Hussain.
Before giving the floor to H.E. José de Venecia, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairman of the Association’s Senior Advisory Council, let me express our sincere condolences to him and the people of the Philipines, on the passing away of Cardinal Sin, who played such a major role in restoring democracy in your country.
Thank you very much.