THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the Republic of Serbia and to the 119th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva, Switzerland 4-18 October 2008 ii © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 ISBN 978-1-74229-071-3 This document was produced within the Senate Community Affairs Committee Secretariat and printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra. iii MEMBERSHIP OF THE DELEGATION Delegation Leader The Hon Roger Price, MP Chief Government Whip Member for Chifley (New South Wales) Australian Labor Party Deputy Delegation Leader The Hon Danna Vale, MP Member for Hughes (New South Wales) Liberal Party of Australia Delegation Members Senator the Hon Judith Troeth Senator for Victoria Liberal Party of Australia Senator Claire Moore* Senator for Queensland Australian Labor Party Delegation Secretary Mr Elton Humphery Committee Office Department of the Senate * Senator Moore joined the Delegation in Geneva for the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting. The Delegation was accompanied by Mrs Robyn Price and Mr Robert Vale. v TABLE OF CONTENTS MEMBERSHIP OF THE DELEGATION.......................................................................... iii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................1 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2 BILATERAL VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA.....................................................5 Aims and Objectives...............................................................................................5 Background information on Serbia ........................................................................6 Delegation meetings in Serbia..............................................................................10 Visit to Vojvodina and Novi Sad..........................................................................20 Delegation comment and observations.................................................................22 DELEGATION PROGRAM IN SERBIA ........................................................................25 CHAPTER 3 INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION..............................................................................27 IPU Council and Assembly ..................................................................................27 Geo-political meetings..........................................................................................27 Delegation report..................................................................................................28 DELEGATION COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS...................................................29 First Standing Committee Panel Discussion – Advancing nuclear non- proliferation and disarmament..............................................................................29 Amendment of IPU Rules and admission of Palestine.........................................30 Geopolitical Groups..............................................................................................31 Election of IPU President .....................................................................................32 Assistance for Asian and Pacific neighbours .......................................................32 Seminar on Parliaments and CEDAW .................................................................33 Highlights of the Australian Delegation at the IPU .............................................35 CHAPTER 4 119TH ASSEMBLY OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION................................37 CHAPTER 5 183RD SESSION OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL .......................................................45 CHAPTER 6 252ND SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE .......................................................53 COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS..........................53 SUBSIDIARY COMMITTEES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES............................................55 Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.........................................55 vi Committee on Middle East Questions..................................................................55 Gender Partnership Group....................................................................................56 Other activities......................................................................................................57 CHAPTER 7 MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES GENERAL OF PARLIAMENTS ............................................................................................................59 APPENDIX 1 SPEECH BY THE HON ROGER PRICE TO OPEN PANEL DISCUSSION ON DRAFT REPORT FOR FIRST COMMITTEE.................................................................63 APPENDIX 2 IPU FINAL RESOLUTION ON THE EMERGENCY ITEM ............................................67 APPENDIX 3 RESULTS OF ROLL-CALL VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL TO AMEND ARTICLE 3 OF THE STATUTES OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION...............................71 APPENDIX 4 DECISION OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL ON THE SUBJECT OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE PARLIAMENT OF PALESTINE IN THE INTER- PARLIAMENTARY UNION..........................................................................................75 APPENDIX 5 RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF PARLIAMENTARIANS.................................................................................................77 1 CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.1 An Australian Parliamentary delegation visited the Republic of Serbia from 6 - 10 October 2008. The Delegation consisted of the Hon Roger Price (Leader), the Hon Danna Vale (Deputy Leader) and Senator the Hon Judith Troeth. The Delegation then travelled to Geneva from 10-16 October for the 119th Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary Union. The Delegation was joined in Geneva by Senator Claire Moore. 1.2 En route to Belgrade the Delegation transited overnight in Vienna on 5 October and had the opportunity to meet with the Australian Ambassador, Mr Peter Shannon, who provided a briefing for the delegation on the activities of the post, including in Balkan countries as the Embassy is accredited to Bosnia among other countries. 1.3 The Delegation's report on the visit to the Republic of Serbia is in chapter 2 and the report on the activities at the Inter-Parliamentary Union is in chapters 3 to 6. The report on the meetings of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments held in conjunction with the deliberations of the IPU is at chapter 7. Acknowledgements 1.4 Many people greatly assisted the delegation in a wide variety of ways to ensure the success of the bilateral visit to the Republic of Serbia and at the IPU meetings in Geneva. The Delegation expresses its grateful appreciation and thanks to them all. It would particularly like to record its thanks to the following people: Canberra Ms Lepsa Stulic, Charges d'Affairs, Serbian Embassy for an informative briefing Officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Parliamentary Library for oral and written briefings prior to departure The Parliamentary Relations Office and in particular Ms Fiona Way, for their usual efficient administrative assistance Vienna Ambassador Peter Shannon and Ms Wanda Oram-Miles, First Secretary, Australian Embassy 2 Serbia The Delegation especially records its appreciation to Mrs Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Speaker of the National Assembly, and all the Serbian hosts for their hospitality and courtesy extended during the visit The accompanying Protocol and Foreign Office officials Mr Ivan Ugrinovic and Mr Ivan Milosevic Ms Branislava Jurasin for her interpreting services Ambassador Claire Birgin, Ms Melanie Davies, First Secretary, and all the staff at the Australian Embassy. The Delegation would like to make special comment at the incredible job that Ambassador Birgin and her staff performed in arranging such a comprehensive program of meetings, not just at the political and governmental levels but also with senior representatives from the educational, scientific, religious, artistic and cultural fields – as well as an interesting and enjoyable program for the accompanying spouses. That such a wide-ranging program could be compiled in a relatively short timeframe is testimony to their professional capabilities, dedication and enthusiasm. The Delegation was very pleased to have an opportunity to personally thank all the Embassy staff for their contribution to making the visit such an outstanding success. Delegation meeting with Embassy staff at the Australian Embassy, Belgrade 3 Geneva Ms Alison Purnell, DFAT Adviser, who once again provided professional advice and assistance to the delegation during the IPU meeting Ms Angela Robinson, Office of the Ambassador for Disarmament, for her specialised knowledge and expert advice on Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty matters The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Stephen Smith and Ms Caroline Millar, Ambassador for Disarmament, who facilitated the availability of Ms Robinson to provide the expert assistance to Mr Price and the delegation. Ms Anda Filip, IPU Director for External Relations 5 CHAPTER 2 Bilateral visit to the Republic of Serbia The Delegation – the Hon Danna Vale, the Hon Roger Price and Senator the Hon Judith Troeth – on the steps of the Serbian National Assembly Aims and Objectives 2.1 The aims and objectives of the Delegation's visit were as follows: • establish relations with the new Serbian Parliament; • seek to expand the scope of