3rd APA plenary session opens in Jakarta

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (4th L) knocks the gong to open the Third Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, on Nov. 27, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)


　
JAKARTA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Third Plenary Session of Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) opened in Jakarta on Thursday.

At the opening ceremony, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the transformation of Asia can not be done by government alone. The governments and parliaments should work together along with other stakeholders, so that APA will be remembered as modules for mutual relationship.

The APA meeting is expected to discuss not only energy, economy, sustainable development, political issues, social and cultural issues, peace and security, and international organizational issues this year, said Agung Laksono, head of the Indonesian House of Representatives, at the ceremony.

"In face of the current financial crisis hitting the world, Indonesia, as the host to the plenary session proposed a new theme, namely the Asia and the Need for a New Global Financial Architecture. This new theme will be the central issue in the general debate," he added.

Laksono said that the world economic crisis which has been triggered by the financial and banking sector crisis must be immediately dealt with in order to avoid its becoming an economic tsunami with a double-fold and enormous impact in all wakes of life in various parts of the world.

Therefore, he expected that the new theme will result in the Jakarta Declaration at the end of the plenary session.

Laksono also called on delegates through the plenary session to form a "more just, pro-poor, and pro-growth system of finance, trade and economy while keeping the emphasis on development of democracy and human rights."

The APA meeting, which is scheduled to end on Nov. 29, is attended by 210 participants from 25 parliaments in Asian countries and three other parliaments of countries as observers. Ma Wenpu, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, led the NPC delegation to attend the plenary session.

APA is a regional organization of Asian countries' parliaments. At present it has 39 member countries that meet once a year.