For the first time in 30 years, the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (AIPA) is finally able to implement its statute on the Executive Committee Meeting. Article 9 Paragraph 2 of the statute stipulates that the Executive Committee may meet at least 3 (three) months prior to the Generaly Assembly to prepare the program, agenda and other relevant matters pertaining to the General Assembly.

The AIPA Secretary General, Hon. Mr. Antonio V. Cuenco, praised the initiative made by the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, H.E. Dr. Marzuki Alie, to implement the statute appropriately. The Secretary General made his statement upon delivering his opening address in the Executive Committee Meeting and the 9^th AIFOCOM held in Yogyakarta, Monday, 9 July 2012.

Previously, he added, the Executive Committee meetings were held only hours before the General Assembly was convened. Therefore, in the previous years, Member Parliaments would only have so much time to discuss issues which were going to be deliberated in the General Assembly, resulting in participants not being able to have an in-depth preparatory discussion. The Executive Committee plays a significant role in determining whether a particular agenda needs to be discussed, modified, revoked, or added, before it is deliberated in the General Assembly.

On another note, the Secretary General also pointed out the importance of the 9^th AIFOCOM, which runs parallel with the statement made by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) that drug problems in the region have risen to an alarming level.  He added that, in order to fight cross-border drug trafficking, all AIPA Member Parliaments must work together to take measures which is firm, collective, and sustainable at the same time.

Furthermore, he also called upon all delegations of the meetings to pay special attention to the ongoing conflict between China and Taiwan. He is concerned that the rising tension between the two countries would eventually take its toll on the neighboring countries in the region. ASEAN and AIPA, in this regard, should work closely in finding solutions to avoid more damaging impacts.