Tuesday 27 May 2008 - MINUTES - PLENARY SITTING - Plenarsaal, Reichstag Building, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany

1.  Opening of the sitting

The President declared the Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly open.

The President welcomed participants.

2.  Address by Professor Dr Norbert Lammert, President of the Bundestag

The President introduced Mr Lammert.

Mr Lammert  addressed the Assembly.

The President thanked Mr Lammert.

3.  Address by Mr José Lello, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

The President  addressed the Assembly.

4.  Address by Mr Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin

The President  introduced Mr Wowereit.

Mr Wowereit  addressed the Assembly.

The President thanked Mr Wowereit.

5.  Address by General Egon Ramms, Commander of Joint Forces Command Brunssum, followed by a question and answer period

The President introduced General Ramms.

General Ramms addressed the Assembly and answered questions from Mr Vitel (France), Mr Benoit (Canada), Mr Miranda Calha (Portugal), Mr Cook (United Kingdom), Mr Shimkus (United States), Mr Zhirinovskiy (Russian Federation), Mr Khosa (Pakistan), Mr Pashtoon (Afghanistan), Mr Meckel (Germany), Mr Cuadrado (Spain), Mr Bayley (United Kingdom), Mr Sayed (Pakistan) and Mrs McCarthy (United States).

Mrs Jo Ann Emerson (United States), a Vice-President of the Assembly, took the Chair.

The Vice-President thanked General Ramms.

Mr. Lello resumed the Chair.

6.  Address by Mr Göran Lennmarker, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

The President  introduced Mr Lennmarker.

Mr Lennmarker addressed the Assembly.

The President thanked Mr Lennmarker.

7.  Vote on the draft Recommendation on the Recognition of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (111 SC 08 E bis]

The President submitted to the Assembly for approval the draft Recommendation on the Recognition of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly [111 SC 08 E bis], as adopted by the Standing Committee.

The draft Recommendation [111 SC 08 E bis] was adopted by acclamation.

8.  Address by Mr Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Secretary General of NATO and Chairman of the North Atlantic Council, followed by a question and answer period

The President introduced Mr de Hoop Scheffer.

Mr de Hoop Scheffer addressed the Assembly and answered questions from Mr Miranda Calha (Portugal), Mr Lamers (Germany), Mr Vitel (France), Ms Árnadóttir (Iceland), Mr George (United Kingdom), Mr Kox (Netherlands), Mr Hovannisian (Armenia) and Mr Zavarzin (Russian Federation).

The President thanked Mr de Hoop Scheffer.

9.  Address by Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, followed by a question and answer period

The President introduced Mr Steinmeier.

Mr Steinmeier addressed the Assembly and answered questions from Mr Kamov (Bulgaria), Mrs Jukneviciene (Lithuania), Mr Mates (United Kingdom), Mr Ross (United States), Mr Semerak (Ukraine), Mr Loverdos (Greece), Mrs van Gennip (Netherlands), Mr Zhirinovskiy (Russian Federation) and Mr Hovannisian (Armenia).

The President thanked Mr Steinmeier.

10.  Closure of the Plenary Sitting

The President declared the Plenary Sitting closed.

The Sitting closed at 13.15.