The AIPA Executive Committee Meeting has been successfully convened today, 9 July 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The meeting concluded several items which will be discussed at the 33rd AIPA General Assembly set to take place in Mataram, Lombok, from 16 to 22 September 2012. The Meeting agreed on the appointment of His Excellency Pehin Dato Haji Judin Haji Asar (HOD of Brunei Darussalam) as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Hon. Dr. Surahman Hidayat as Rapporteur of the Executive Committee Meeting.

The appointment of Vice Chairman and Rapporteur of the Meeting was subsequently followed by Presentation of Reports by the President of AIPA, Report on the 4th AIPA Caucus by Thailand as the Host Country, and Report of the Secretary General on Activities of the AIPA Secretariat. Among the main activities conducted by the AIPA was the signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent (MoU) by the AIPA and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Meeting adopted the agenda items of the 33^rd AIPA General Assembly in Mataram, Lombok, Indonesia and took into account the proposal from Viet Nam to extend the 6^th topic for discussion with observers at the 33rd General Assembly as follows: “Multilateral dialogue on related issues in South China Sea.”

In accordance with the cooperation between AIPA and the ASEAN Foundation, the Meeting has agreed to realize the initiative of establishing cooperation for the purpose of achieving common goals, namely promoting active participation of people in contributing to the progress of ASEAN Member States. In this regard, the Meeting also agreed to submit the proposal from Myanmar to strengthen the role and status of AIPA in the ASEAN realm.

Meanwhile, as a follow up to the invitation sent by the Pan-African Parliament to the President of AIPA, H.E. Dr. Marzuki Alie, to deliver his address at the Assembly of the Pan-African Parliament on January 2012, the Meeting has a positive response toward the initiative made by the Pan-African Parliament to develop cooperation with regional organizations in Asia, particularly ASEAN. The initiative is in compliance with Article 2, Point 1 of AIPA Statute, as well as the Bali Concord III, in which ASEAN commitment for the Global Community is stipulated. The Meeting agreed to discuss this matter further under the Committee on Organizational Matters on the 33^rd AIPA General Assembly.

With regards to the signing of Joint Declaration of Intent by AIPA and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany as a follow up to the resolution on the AIPA-German FFO joint projects, all delegation agreed to the implementation of the joint projects between AIPA and the German FFO/GIZ/HSF. However, the approval was made with notes by Indonesia for the AIPA Secretariat to report on the nature of implementation, ecaluation and financial condition of including the expert for this projects in the salary structure of the AIPA Secretariat staff.

Another proposal which was accepted by the meeting was the establishment of cooperation between AIPA and the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). Proposal on the resolution submitted by ASEAN-WEN – Strengthening Law Enforcement and Regional Cooperation to Combat Wildlife Crime – will be deliberated in the Committee on Organizational Matters of the 33^rd AIPA General Assembly.

In the coming 33rd AIPA General Assembly, the Meeting agreed to grant invitation to the following:

1. Secretary General of ASEAN;
2. Secretary General of IPU;
3. Timor Leste;
4. Representatives from Pan-African Parliament (PAP);
5. Representatives from ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEAN SAI);
6. Representatives from ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN WEN)/ARREST/Freeland Foundation;
7. UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.

The Meeting has agreed to give each of the invitees four minutes to deliver their remarks at the First Plenary Session on the 33^rd AIPA General Assembly.

On the Secretary General’s term of office, following the completion of the Secretary General’s term of office in February 2013, all delegation have agreed that Singapore shall nominate the next AIPA Secretary General. In response to this, Singapore has promised to submit the name before the end of the current Secretary General’s tenure.

Finally, the Executive Committee meeting agreed that the 34th AIPA General Assembly would be held in September 2013 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, and the exact date of the event is to be advised later. Concluding the Executive Committee meeting, the AIPA President, H.E. Dr. Marzuki Alie expressed his appreciation of the cooperation and mutual understanding of all delegates during the deliberation. In addition, he also once again reiterated the need for a “more in-depth understanding on the relevant strategic issues in order to contribute more effectively and work in a more result-oriented way.”