Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly MEDIA RELEASE Embargoed until Monday 30 June 2008, 12h00 CEST Five hundred lawmakers call for world parliament Berlin. Over 500 members of parliament from over 80 countries have joined an international Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, or UNPA. "The enthusiastic response of these politicians demonstrates that lawmakers elected at the national level see the necessity of an elected body at the global level and that they now want to take action," said Andreas Bummel, head of the UNPA Campaign Secretariat, headquartered in Berlin. The campaign's parliamentary endorsers believe that solutions to the world's major economic and environmental problems require that "all human beings engage in collaborative efforts." A joint appeal signed by the lawmakers recommends "a gradual implementation of democratic participation and representation on the global level." According to Mr Fernando Iglesias, a member of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies and member of the Latin American regional parliament, "the means to achieve this is an elected body at the UN." The Latin American Parliament's Commission on Political Affairs recently adopted a declaration endorsing the proposal. Additionally it is supported by the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Pan•African Parliament and the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the Canadian House of Commons. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr Luís Maria de Puig from Spain stated that "the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly would be an important step to bring the UN closer to the world's citizens." "A UN Parliamentary Assembly would make the UN system more accountable and more responsive to the collective needs, and rights, of the world's citizens," commented Canadian Senator Roméo Dallaire, former Force Commander of UNAMIR, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda. "Through elected representatives the new assembly would give ordinary citizens a voice in international affairs. This would introduce a new dynamic at the UN, something which governments also might appreciate," said Mr Amadi Bethel, deputy of the People's Democratic Party in the Nigerian House of Representatives. "The broad endorsement the appeal got from elected representatives all over the world is a major milestone. We will now reinforce our efforts to achieve support from parliaments," announced Belgian Senator Mrs Anne•Marie Lizin who served as the Senate's President from 2004 to 2007. The UN Parliamentary Assembly could be established as a consultative body, without requiring UN Charter reform. It could initially be composed of national and regional parliamentarians but at a later stage switch to direct election. CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION ON NEXT PAGES International Secretariat: c/o Committee for a Democratic U.N. Erkelenzdamm 59•61 § 10999 Berlin § Germany Phone +49 [0]6131•627 8376 § Fax +49 [0]1803•551 800 539 [email protected] § www.unpacampaign.org Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly MEDIA RELEASE Monday 30 June 2008 CONTACTS FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS Hon. Fernando Iglesias: Phone +54 11•6310 7624, [email protected] Hon. Luís Maria de Puig: Phone +33 388•41 25 95, [email protected] Hon. Roméo Dallaire: Phone +1 613•995 3898, [email protected] Hon. Bethel Amadi: Phone +234 803•6672 629, [email protected] Hon. Anne•Marie Lizin: Phone +32 2•501 7638, [email protected] CAMPAIGN SECRETARIAT Mr Andreas Bummel: Phone +49 6131•627 8376, [email protected] MORE INFORMATION CAMPAIGN WEBSITE http://www.unpacampaign.org/ FULL LIST OF MP SIGNATORIES TO THE APPEAL http://en.unpacampaign.org/appeal/support/mps_all_0.php MILESTONES IN THE EFFORTS FOR A UNPA http://www.unpacampaign.org/documents/en/unpamilestones.pdf PHOTO DOWNLOADS http://flickr.com/photos/unpacampaign International Secretariat: c/o Committee for a Democratic U.N. Erkelenzdamm 59•61 § 10999 Berlin § Germany Phone +49 [0]6131•627 8376 § Fax +49 [0]1803•551 800 539 [email protected] § www.unpacampaign.org International campaign for the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly APPEAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY AT THE UNITED NATIONS Humanity faces the task of ensuring the survival and well being of future generations as well as the preservation of the natural foundations of life on Earth. We are convinced that in order to cope with major challenges such as social disparity, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the threat of terrorism or the endangerment of global ecosystems, all human beings must engage in collaborative efforts. To ensure international cooperation, secure the acceptance and to enhance the legitimacy of the United Nations and strengthen its capacity to act, people must be more effectively and directly included into the activities of the United Nations and its international organizations. They must be allowed to participate better in the UN’s activities. We therefore recommend a gradual implementation of democratic participation and representation on the global level. We conceive the establishment of a consultative Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations as an indispensable step. Without making a change of the UN Charter necessary in the first step, a crucial link between the UN, the organizations of the UN system, the governments, national parliaments and civil society can be achieved through such an assembly. Such an assembly would not simply be a new institution; as the voice of citizens, the assembly would be the manifestation and vehicle of a changed consciousness and understanding of international politics. The assembly could become a political catalyst for further development of the international system and of international law. It could also substantially contribute to the United Nation’s capacity to realize its high objectives and to shape globalization positively. A Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations could initially be composed of national parliamentarians. Step by step, it should be provided with genuine rights of information, participation and control vis-à-vis the UN and the organizations of the UN system. In a later stage, the assembly could be directly elected. We appeal to the United Nations and the governments of its member states to establish a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations. We call for all organizations, decision-makers and citizens engaged with the international common interest to support this appeal. www.unpacampaign.org Elected representatives who have signed the Appeal for the Establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations as of 23 June 2008 AL: Albania (1) Raúl P. Solanas Kurt De Loor Prof. Ermelinda Meksi, Gladys Beatriz Soto Roel Deseyn Member, International Council, Hugo Guillermo Storero Camille Dieu Parliamentarians for Global Dr. Alicia Ester Tate, Member, Dr. Vera Dua Action MERCOSUR Parliament Josy Dubié, Senator AR: Argentina (39) Juan Carlos Vega Isabelle Durant, Sénatrice Oscar Raúl Aguad, Leader, Pablo Ventura Zancada Claude Eerdekens Parliamentary Group of Union Miguel Andrés Costas Zottos Françoise Fassiaux Civica Radical AT: Austria (9) Andre Flahaut, Député fédéral Horacio Alcuaz belge; Ancien ministre, parti Silvia Augsburger Werner Amon, Member of the socialiste Federal Board, ÖVP Pedro José Azcoiti Jean Jacques Flahaux Petra Bayr, Speaker for Griselda Baldata Development Cooperation, SPÖ Sven Gatz, Member of Vlaams Parlement Hermes Binner Silvia Fuhrmann, Bundesobfrau Esteban Bullrich der Jungen ÖVP, Jugend- Zoé Genot Eugenio Burzago sprecherin der ÖVP Eloi Glorieux, Member of the Regional Flemish Parliament for Graciela Camaño, Third Vice- Johann Maier the Green Party President, Camara de Dr. Wolfgang Pirklhuber, Diputados Spokesperson for Agriculture Didier Gosuin, Bourgmestre de la Commune d'Auderghem, Elisa Beatriz Carca and Food Safety, Die Grünen Député au Parlement Bruxellois Dr. Elisa Carrió, Candidate to Dr. Hannes Swoboda, MEP, Denis Grimberghs the Presidency Vice-President of the SPE- Geert Lambert, Senator Héctor Eduardo del Campillo Faction in the European Parliament Anne-Marie Lizin, Senator; Sonia Margarita Escudero, Vice-President, Parliamentary Senator; Secretary-General, Gisela Wurm Assembly of the OSCE Latin American Parliament Alexander Zach, Speaker, Joëlle Milquet, President, Francisco José Ferro Liberal Forum Wolfgang Zinggl Centre démocrate humaniste Hector Toty Flores Jean-Marc Nollet, Leader of José Ignacio García Hamilton, AU: Australia (3) ECOLO-Groen in the House of Writer and historian Duncan Kerr, former Minister of Representatives Fernanda Gil Lozano Justice Philippe Pivin , Parlement María América Gonzáles Bob McMullan, former Minister Bruxellois; Mayor, Commune de Prof. Dr. Fernando Adolfo of Trade Koekelberg Iglesias, Universidad de Lomas Lindsay Tanner Marie-Paule Quix, Députée, de Zamora Parlement de la Région de Silvia Beatriz Lemos BA: Bosnia & Herzegowina (1) Bruxelles-Capitale María Virginia Linares Semsudin Mehmedovic Joel Riguelle, Député Bruxellois; Bourgmestre de Marta Olinda Maffei BE: Belgium (45) Berchem-Ste-Agathe Juan Carlos Morán Meyrem Almaci François Roelants du Vivier, Julián Obiglio Senator Sfia Bouarfa, Senator Fabián Peralta Miet Smet, Minister of State, Juliette Boulet Prof. Maria Cristina Perceval, Senator, Member of the Flemish Board member, Philippe Busquin,