MP reads a message of greetings to the organisers, participants and guests of the event from Federation Council Speaker
Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Ilyas Umakhanov took part in the Development of Parliamentarism International Forum that was opened by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin.
Mr Umakhanov read a message of greetings to the organisers, participants and guests of the event from Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko.
“It is difficult to overrate the urgency of the issues on the forum’s agenda. The programme includes priority tasks in international parliamentary activities and is aimed at promoting the most advanced and in-demand ideas in this area. No doubt, the forum will make a tangible contribution to harmonious and mutually supplementary cooperation between parliaments,” the message reads.
Given the current lack of trust in international relations, MPs and their multilateral and bilateral cooperation play a special role. Therefore, parliamentary diplomacy and parliamentary forums are more in demand than ever before, the message emphasises.
“This is illustrated by the work of the 137th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held in St Petersburg last October. The assembly was attended by delegations from 160 states, six international parliamentary organisations and 38 international agencies with the observer status. This assembly was the largest and most representative in the 128 year history of this major inter-parliamentary organisation,” the message reads.
Participants in the assembly demonstrated a sincere striving for dialogue and an ability to hear and understand each other; although, naturally, they expressed different views during the debates. They discussed pressing issues that evoked debate. At the same time, the friendly atmosphere of trust and respect for the positions of others in the dialogue allowed the MPs to make many important joint decisions, Ms Matvienko’s message reads.
One of decisions from the 137th Assembly was an initiative on the establishment by the UN of the International Day of Parliamentarianism on 30 June. This initiative was reflected in the UN General Assembly resolution on the interaction between the United Nations, national parliaments and the Inter‑Parliamentary Union. The document points out that the establishment of the International Day of Parliamentarianism by the UN will help unite MPs all over the world and attract more attention to the efforts of parliaments.
One more important event in parliamentary diplomacy was the UN General Assembly decision to include in its resolution an IPU proposal to convene a global conference on interreligious and interethnic dialogue with the participation of the heads of state, parliaments and representatives of major global religions. “Support by the UN General Assembly for these proposals by the parliamentarians is a manifestation of the recognition of our joint contribution to the consolidation of international peace and security,” Ms Matvienko noted in her message.
“The parliamentary dimension of interstate relations is a very powerful resource that should be used on a broader scale. Under the current conditions, parliamentarians may and should contribute to a search for ways of settling complicated international problems and conflicts and develop measures to counter the existing challenges and threats to peace, humanity and our planet as a whole, no matter from where they emanate,” the message reads.
FEDERATION COUNCIL PRESS SERVICE