APA Executive Council Approves Eight Documents
September 11 , 2007
The APA Executive Council approved eight documents, in its meeting of 9-11 September 2007, including Draft Rules of Procedure of the APA Plenary and Draft Friendship Pact of Asia. These documents are recommended for adoption in the Second Session of the Plenary, scheduled for 19-21 November 2007.
One hundred and thirteen Delegates from 28 Asian Countries discussed several issues on the agenda in 9 working groups during three days.
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The longest debate took place on the Draft APA Rules of Procedure which was prepared by the Secretariat in the past 6 months. The document will provide necessary mechanism for the Plenary and APA Committees to be functional. See the document here>
Arguably, the most important document on the list was Friendship Pact of Asia. Friendship Pact of Asia is prepared to act as an instrument of peace among Asian countries. The importance of the document relies on its continental coverage, and that it could, for the first time, build foundation for stronger security cooperation among sub-regions of Asia. The document was agreed to be on agenda for adoption in the Joint Conference of APA Members and Foreign Ministers on the first day of the Plenary, November 19, 2007. See the document here>
Two important economic issues were also discussed in the meeting. Establishment of an Asian Monetary Fund, as mandated by Tehran Declaration, was on the agenda. The working group on the matter re-affirmed the findings of the Secretariat’s Working Paper and reservations of the First Round Table on Asian Monetary Fund, and resolved that such undertaking is a complex task that needed to be approached by a great deal of care. To prepare grounds for such specific financial cooperation throughout the Continent, the working group suggested the necessity of a “Structured Mechanism” to identify promising and feasible areas of economic cooperation on a continental level, and take advantage of interlinking existing regional arrangements in Asia. The Secretariat was assigned to conduct a study on the mission, objectives and framework of such “Structured Mechanism,” and to report its findings to the next meeting of the Executive Council, immediately before the Second Session of the Plenary. See the report of the Executive Council here>
The APA initiative to design a framework for an integrated energy market in Asia was the second economic item on the agenda. The plan of action for the initiative is suggesting “the establishment of a ‘body’ by the Asian States in order to promote regional cooperation in various fields of energy in the interest of all Asian nations.” See the plan of action here>
Plan of actions on globalization, promoting and respecting cultural diversity, combating corruption and alleviating poverty were also among the documents recommended for adoption in the APA Plenary.
The Draft Agenda for the Second Session of the Plenary was also discussed, and was provisionally approved.
The Plenary agenda and all other documents are open to new ideas in the second meeting of the Executive Council, scheduled for 17-18 November 2007, immediately before the meeting of the Plenary. APA Member Parliaments are requested to send their comments regarding the documents to the Secretariat NO LATER THAN 10 November 2007.
