FIPA - Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas

Report Sixth Meeting of the Executive Committee
Panama City, Panama
6 and 7 December 2002

1. Introduction
The sixth meeting of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA) was held in Panama City on 6 and 7 December 2002.

The meeting was attended by official representatives from five of the committee's member countries, whose names are listed in Annex 1.

The main objectives of the meeting were to discuss the preparations for the forthcoming Plenary Meeting of the Forum and determine basis for establishing a permanent secretariat for FIPA. The members of the Executive Committee considered it appropriate to express their support for democratic institutions in Colombia and their backing for the work of the Secretary General of the OAS in Venezuela.

2. Opening ceremony
The acting speaker of Panama's Legislative Assembly, the Honourable Alcibíades Vásquez Velásquez, welcomed the participants and stressed the importance of active participation by parliamentarians in the process of establishing the FTAA.

The host country's representative, Legislator Marco Ameglio, and the President of FIPA, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette, made statements regarding the topics to be discussed at the meeting.

3. Program for the forthcoming plenary meeting
The members of the Executive Committee defined a preliminary program for the upcoming plenary meeting to be held on 20 and 21 February 2003 in Panama City.

For the presentations to the FIPA plenary meeting, the members decided to invite the following people as special guests:

· H.E. Mireya Moscoso, who will open the Second Plenary Meeting in her capacity as President of the Republic of Panama.

· H.E. Alvaro Uribe, President of the Republic of Colombia, who will talk about the efforts his government is making in the quest for peace and stronger democracy in Colombia.

· H.E. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of the Federative Republic of Brazil, who will made a presentation on continental integration in the Americas.

· Mr. Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize, who will speak on the importance of multilateral organizations for guaranteeing peace and justice and the new role of the International Criminal Court.

· Mr. Enrique Iglesias, President of the Inter-American Development Bank, who will make a presentation on progress in social and economic development in the Americas.

In addition, the members unanimously agreed to express their appreciation to His Excellency César Gaviria Trujillo for his contribution as Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and as promoter of FIPA as an initiative for parliamentary integration in the hemisphere.

Last, they agreed that the committee would meet on 19 February to settle the final details for the plenary meeting.

4. Plenary meeting working groups
The members of the committee reviewed and approved the agenda of the working groups and agreed on the approach to the topics for discussion.

They agreed that the background documents for the working groups would be published on FIPA's web page in the four official languages for consultation by the participants prior to the plenary meeting.

They also agreed that it was important to promote participation by parliamentarians interested and experienced in the topics to be discussed, in an effort to enrich the debate and ensure that the recommendations of the working groups were pertinent.

5. Progress report on the preparations for the forthcoming plenary meeting - Panama 2003
Legislator Lenin Sucre of Panama, who was chair of the committee of the Panamanian legislature responsible for preparing the next FIPA meeting, reported to the members of the committee on the logistical arrangements being made in preparation for February 2003. He noted that official invitations had been sent to the speakers of all the hemisphere's parliaments.

With regard to the venue of the meeting, the Panamanian delegation reported that the meetings would be held at the El Panama Hotel and that arrangements had been made for interpreters and translators, secretarial services, transportation, program for guests accompanying participants, security and the press.

6. Training in the use of the Executive Committee's work space in the Virtual Parliament of the Americas
Mr. Shady Kanfi, representative of Bellanet and head of the virtual parliament project, formally presented the new work space that was designed to facilitate communications among the members of the Executive Committee, using the Internet, through the Virtual Parliament of the Americas.

It was agreed to use this tool to distribute all information on Committee activities. It was also decided to use the work space to follow up on the action plans established at the meetings of the Executive Committee, particularly matters related to the preparations for the plenary meeting.

As a pilot test of the virtual parliament, the committee members decided to hold a virtual meeting to discuss progress in the preparations for the upcoming meeting. They agreed that the virtual meeting would be held in the final week of January and that all the members would participate via the Internet.

Last, the Committee commissioned Mr. Kanfi to prepare the virtual meeting in January, updating FIPA's web page to ensure it contained all the information on the plenary meeting and preparing the virtual parliament to hold a thematic seminar in the second half of 2003.

7. Establishment of a permanent secretariat for FIPA
The committee members studied a proposal to establish a permanent technical secretariat for FIPA, considering four alternatives for permanent financing.

The members agreed that the secretariat should be established gradually, so that the organization's immediate needs could be met while progress was made in consolidating a permanent institution. The members established the following plan of action:

· In the initial stage, employee services would be donated by the members countries of FIPA that wished to do so. Administrative operations would be financed through voluntary contributions by the members.

· Starting next year, the member countries of FIPA would make permanent contributions in the form of an annual quota to be established by the Executive Committee. The President of FIPA, with the cooperation of the committee members, would arrange for payment of the quotas with the officials of each member parliament.

· Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette, President of FIPA, would try to negotiate with her government to provide space for the technical secretariat free of charge. Therefore, the office of the secretariat would initially be in Ottawa, Canada, for as long as the members of the Executive Committee concurred. Canada would also continue to provisionally finance the position of secretary of the Executive Committee.

· The technical secretariat of FIPA would be established as a legal entity. The committee approved the proposal of Senator Silvia Hernández of Mexico, seconded by Congressman Luiz Carlos Hauly of Brazil, to the effect that the secretariat should be established in Ottawa under Canadian law. The legal representatives would be Canadian parliamentarians Céline Hervieux-Payette, John Godfrey and John Williams.

· Congressman Luiz Carlos Hauly offered to negotiate with his parliament to donate the services of a permanent Brazilian employee for the FIPA secretariat in Ottawa.

· Senator Silvia Hernández reported that the Mexican legislature was willing to contribute funds for the initial financing of the FIPA secretariat.

· Legislator Marco Ameglio offered to negotiate with his parliament an annual contribution for the FIPA secretariat.

· To ensure that all the members of FIPA made some financial contribution, a small quota would be charged for each participant in the meeting, starting with the plenary meeting in 2004. The quota would be independent of the annual contribution made by each country.

8. Report on the results of the Brasilia parliamentary summit
Congressman Luiz Carlos Hauly of Brazil reported to the members of the committee on the results of the Parliamentary Summit for Hemispheric Integration held in Brasilia, Brazil, on 19 and 20 November 2002.

Congressman Hauly described the topics that were discussed in the summit's four working groups. He stressed the work of the group that discussed the experience of FIPA, in which he participated as rapporteur, in his capacity as the forum's representative to the summit.

9. Establishment of a group of women parliamentarians of the Americas under the framework of FIPA
Through the committee's work space in the virtual parliament, Congressman Marcelo Stubrin of Argentina submitted for the consideration of the members a proposal to establish a group of women parliamentarians of the hemisphere under the framework of FIPA (see Annex 2).

The members of the committee agreed with the proposal and supported the establishment of the group of women parliamentarians of the Americas at the next meeting of FIPA. A preparatory meeting would be held, that would not interfere with the meeting's activities, to define the objectives and action plan of the group. The meeting would be chaired by Argentine congresswoman Margarita Stolbizer, the author of the proposal.

10. Declaration of support for democratic institutions in Colombia
The members of the Executive Committee expressed their concern over the intensification of the armed conflict in Colombia. They discussed and approved a declaration that supported Colombia's democratic institutions and rejected the violence and hostage-takings in that country (see Annex 3).

The President of FIPA was asked to transmit the declaration to the Colombian authorities.

11. Declaration of support for the work of the OAS in Venezuela
The Panamanian delegation proposed a declaration of support for the work of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) in seeking a peaceful solution to the crisis in Venezuela. After discussion, the members approved the declaration and requested that it be communicated to the General Secretariat of the OAS.

12. Annexes

12.1 Annex 1 - Participants

The Honourable Céline Hervieux-Payette, Senator (CANADA)
President of FIPA

Mr. Mateo Barney (CANADA)
Secretary of the Executive Committee

NORTH AMERICA
Senator Silvia Hernández (MEXICO)
Member of Parliament John Williams (CANADA)

CENTRAL AMERICA
Congressman Carlos Santiago Nájera (GUATEMALA)

CARIBBEAN
Unfortunately the representatives were unable to attend

SOUTH AMERICA
Congressman Luiz Carlos Hauly (BRAZIL)

HOST COUNTRY
Legislator Marco Ameglio (PANAMA)
Legislator Lenin Sucre (PANAMA)

OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Mr. Gilberto Cárdenas (PANAMA)
Mr. Abel Mercado (PANAMA)
Mr. Roberto Montañés (PANAMA)
Mr. Shady Kanfi (BELLANET)

12.2 Annex 2 - Proposal for the group of women parliamentarians of the Americas
Proposal by the Argentine Delegation

1. To include on the agenda (auxiliary or supporting) of the FIPA meeting in Panama: ESTABLISHMENT OF A GROUP OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE AMERICAS UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF FIPA.

2. To recommend to the member states that they appoint delegations that include representatives of both sexes.

3. The meeting to establish the group could be a working breakfast or be held at the end of the afternoon, chaired by Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette, who would speak on the objectives and actions.

4. Neither the meeting to establish the group nor subsequent meetings would affect FIPA's agenda; the permanent group would work in harmony with the organization.

5. Objectives:
(a) To interest women from the region in the specific topics that are considered by FIPA;

(b) To study the impact of economic and financial crises in the region on women and mechanisms for addressing them;

(d) To lay the groundwork for equal opportunities, with special stress on the situation of working women and women living in poverty;

(e) To strengthen the democracies of the countries of the Americas to achieve full respect for human rights and favourable conditions for equitable and sustainable social development.

6. Actions:
(a) To promote discussion and exchanges of ideas regarding the proposed objectives;

(b) To participate actively in FIPA meetings, contributing a gender perspective to each of the topics studied by it;

(d) To exchange ideas and information on legislative frameworks for the proposed objectives and issues.

Congresswoman Margarita Stolbizer
Argentina

12.3 Annex 3 - Declaration of support for democratic institutions in Colombia

Observing with concern that the intensification of violence in Colombia poses a serious threat to the country's social, political and economic stability and that it could affect other countries in the area;

Underlining that protection of Colombia's civilian population should always be an overriding concern for all parties involved in the conflict;

Recognizing the efforts made by the Colombian Government to guarantee the preservation of its democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law; and

Stressing the importance of parliament in strengthening democratic values and the conditions for the development and well-being of the Colombian people;

The members of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA), meeting in Panama City 0n 6 and 7 December 2002:

Express our support for the democratic values being promoted in Colombia and reiterate the importance of continuing to protect those values through parliamentary institutions;

Call for the immediate release of all persons held hostage in that country, including several members of Congress, members of the public forces and a former presidential candidate;

Enjoin all the parties in the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, taking steps that lead to peace to achieve a secure future for all Colombians;

Applaud the commitment made by the Colombian Government to seek international assistance in finding a way out of the armed conflict;

Urge the Colombian Government to continue working to establish mechanisms to strengthen its institutions, guaranteeing governmental transparency and good management; and

Express FIPA's interest in making a positive contribution to the quest for peace in Colombia through solidarity and cooperation by the countries of the Americas.

12.4 Annex 4 - Declaration on the events in Venezuela

Observing with concern the recent events that threaten social, political and economic stability in Venezuela;

Recognizing the efforts being made by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) in seeking a negotiated end to the special situation affecting the Venezuelan people today;

The members of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA), meeting in Panama City on 6 and 7 December 2002:

Support the work being done by the General Secretariat of the OAS in seeking to reestablish stability and peace in Venezuela.



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