Federal National Council gets European support for IPU

Geneva - July 21, 2010 (WAM)- Speaker of the UAE Federal National Council (FNC) Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ghurair has won Europe's support for the Arab stance calling for not converting the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) into an international inter-governmental organisation. The promise was made during a meeting which was held here yesterday with the French parliamentary delegation comprising Mr. Marc Laffineur, Vice President of the French National Assembly and other MPs.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the agenda of the 3rd Conference of Speakers of Parliaments being held in Geneva from July 19-21, and discussed, in particular, article no 33 of the draft declaration regarding a proposal to seal an agreement for conversion of the IPU into an international inter-governmental body.
Al Ghurair explained to the French delegation the Arab parliamentary position which demands either amending the article or deferring debate on it for further study on the reasons and goals of the move.
The French delegation affirmed that the stance of many European countries were identical to that of the Arab countries in refusing the idea. It added a message in that respect was sent to the General Secretariat of the IPU to omit the said para. Al Ghurair affirmed to the French MPs that the General Secretariat of the Arab Inter-parliamentary Union (AIPU) has sent a similar message to the IPU. – Emirates News Agency, WAM