IPU-132, historic milestone in external activities of Vietnamese NA

Since its establishment, the IPU has made significant contributions to promoting and supporting global efforts and has closely co-ordinated with the UN, UN agencies and UN programmes to discuss measures to address global issues related to peace and development, democracy and human rights, the involvement of parliaments in national governance, HIV/AIDS prevention, and climate change adaption among others.

Since 2002, the IPU has become a permanent observer at the UN General Assembly and established a Standing Committee on UN affairs with the participation of representatives of all Geopolitical Groups.

The IPU has also contributed considerably to the creation and strengthening of world peace, promoting dialogues, developing international law, boosting democracy and creating an open dialogue space for parliaments. Through the initiative of the IPU, parliamentarians promoted the parliamentary diplomacy with a revolutionary concept: multilateralism. In the 1970s and 1980s, the IPU played an important role in the process of detente in Europe, fostering state-level relations between countries, and narrowing the gap between East and West during the Cold War. IPU activities created strong impacts on the clearance of conflicts in many places. The IPU also asserted that political dialogue is the best solution to creating decisions accepted by all parties to facilitate lasting peace.

The IPU adopted the Declaration on Democracy in 1997 which determined the criteria for parliamentary democracy as 'representative, transparent, accessible, accountable and effective'. IPU has carried out many activities to protect human rights and gender equality, enhance global connectivity, and renew organisational structure and co-operation models with international organisations and others. The IPU has also worked tirelessly to promote peace and stability in the world through dialogue, negotiations and the support of new democracy.

Today, peace, co-operation and development is mainstream in the world but there remains instability, tension, armed conflicts, transnational crime, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Therefore, prevention of war, peacekeeping, anti-terrorism, and handling of traditional and non-traditional security issues are still urgent tasks that the IPU is faced with. In addition, other issues of primary concern for the IPU are strengthening connections with voters, ensuring human rights, gender equality, poverty alleviation, environmental protection, combating disease, promoting governance and organisational restructuring.

In the past 35 years, since the National Assembly of Vietnam became a member of the IPU in 1979, Vietnam has actively participated in and contributed to annual sessions of the Assembly and other conferences of the IPU. Vietnam has hosted many IPU conferences such as the regional seminar on 'Developing a protective framework for children: The role of Parliaments' in 2006 and the regional seminar on HIV/AIDS in 2009 among others.

The Vietnamese NA was elected chair of the Geopolitical Group in Asia-Pacific in 2006 which was in charge of directly co-ordinating the joint activities of 27 IPU member parliaments in the region. In 2007, the IPU-117 unanimously elected representatives from the Vietnamese NA to the IPU Executive Committee of the 2007-2011 tenure and a Vietnamese representative to be Vice President of IPU in 2009.

2015 is a pivotal year for Vietnam to implement the Resolution of the 11th National Party Congress, prepare for the 12th National Party Congress and review the five-year implementation of the Platform of the 11th Party Congress. In addition, 2015 will witness many significant anniversaries such as the 85th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 70th founding anniversary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the 125th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.

The hosting of the IPU-132 in Hanoi in early 2015 is significant for the external activities of Vietnam and parliamentary diplomacy, creating an opportunity for Vietnam and the Vietnamese NA to strengthen and deepen friendship and co-operation with its key partners and IPU parliament members.

Preparations for the IPU-132 have been actively implemented during the past year under the guidance of the National Steering Committee for the IPU-132 headed by NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung along with the leadership of the Government and relevant ministries and sectors at central and municipal levels. The Organising Board for the IPU-132 has been established along with five subcommittees to ensure the success of the IPU-132.

As the host country, the Chairman of the Vietnamese NA will assume the position of President of the Assembly of the IPU-132 and conduct plenary sessions of the General Assembly. The delegation of Vietnamese NA deputies are responsible for participating in all official and side-lines activities within the framework of IPU-132 working sessions and other bilateral activities.

The Assembly of the IPU-132 will discuss and adopt solutions on issues including 'Cyber warfare - a serious threat to peace and global security', 'Shaping a new system of water governance: Promoting parliamentary action on water', and 'International law as it relates to national sovereignty, non-intervention in the internal affairs of States and human rights' as well as pass a report on the co-operation between the IPU and the UN. The working agenda of the IPU-132 also includes the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians and Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU.

Hosting the IPU-132 is a good opportunity for Vietnam and its National Assembly to continue the implementation of its foreign policy of "being a friend, trustworthy partner and a responsible member of the international community" while broadening, boosting and deepening friendship and multifaceted co-operation with parliaments and peoples of other countries and international organisations. Over 1,500 delegates from more than 170 countries and international organisations, of which 100 delegations are led by Chairman or Vice Chairman of Parliaments, have registered to participate in the event so far.

It is also a chance for Vietnam to represent its positive and responsible role in the IPU and to reciprocate the support and respect of international friends to Vietnam. Moreover, the event is an occasion to promote a peaceful, stable and dynamic Vietnam and its active international integration.

Notably, a Hanoi Declaration will be issued at the end of the IPU-132. It is considered a political and diplomatic document of great importance as it manifests the outcomes of the event being held in Vietnam for the first time. The Hanoi Declaration also conveys a message of peace and friendship from the Vietnamese National Assembly and its people to Parliaments and peoples of all countries, leaving deep impressions on them of the Vietnamese people and land.

The success of the IPU-132 will surely make significant contributions to realising its foreign policy for peace, friendship, openness, diversification and multilateralisation of international relations of our Party and State. It also helps consolidate our country's position and prestige while fostering Vietnam's international integration process.Established in 1889 from a movement for peace against war initiated by William Cremer from England and Frédéric Passy from France, the IPU has undergone more than 125 years of development. Starting as the first permanent forum for political multilateral negotiations, the IPU has become a centre for dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy among legislators and serves as the world's largest inter-parliamentary organisation with national parliaments of 163 countries being members, and 10 regional parliamentary assemblies being associate members.

(Source: Nhandan Online)