Monday 10 October 2011 - Summary of the Plenary Meeting - Annual Session

The sitting was opened at 9.00 a.m. on Monday, 10 October 2011, with Karl A. Lamers (Germany), President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, in the Chair.

1. Opening of the Sitting

The President declared the 57th Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly open.

2. Address by Karl A Lamers, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

The President addressed the Assembly.

3. Address by Mircea Dan Geoana, President of the Senate of Romania

Mr Geoana addressed the Assembly.

The President thanked Mr Geoana.

4. Address by Mrs Roberta Anastase, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania

Mrs Anastase addressed the Assembly.

The President thanked Mrs Anastase.

5. Address by Mr Traian Basescu, President of Romania

Mr Bãsescu addressed the Assembly.

The President thanked Mr Basescu.

6. Address by Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO and Chairman of the North Atlantic Council, followed by a question and answer period

Mr Rasmussen addressed the Assembly and answered questions from PhilippeVitel (France),Sergio De Gregorio (Italy),Lord Jopling (United Kingdom), Hendrik Jan Ormel (Netherlands), Ali Riza Alaboyun (Turkey),Michael Turner (United States), Jesus Cuadrado (Spain), Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam (France), Giovanni Torri (Italy), José Lello (Portugal), Menzies Campbell (United Kingdom), Imants Liegis (Latvia) and Björgvin G. Sigurdsson (Iceland).

The President thanked Mr Rasmussen.

7. Panel on "Gender and Security" with Ms Samira Hamidi, Afghan Country Director of the Afghan Women's Network and Major General Karl Engelbrektson, Swedish Military Representative to the EU and to NATO, followed by a question and answer period

Ms HamidiandMajor General Engelbrektson addressed the Assembly and answered questions from Ulla Schmidt (Germany), Juozas Olekas(Lithuania),Jane Cordy (Canada), Han Ten Broeke (Netherlands), Lucio Malan (Italy), Erna Solberg (Norway), Baroness Ramsay (United Kingdom) and Ragnheidur E. Árnadóttir (Iceland).

The President thanked Ms Hamidi and Major General Engelbrektson.

Mr Petras Austrevicius (Lithuania), a Vice-President of the Assembly, took the Chair.

8. Election of the President of the Assembly

There being only one nomination for the post of President of the Assembly,Dr Karl A. Lamers (Germany) was re-elected by acclamation.

The President resumed the Chair.

9. Election of Vice-Presidents of the Assembly

There being five nominations for the positions of Vice-President, Jeff Miller (United States) and Julio Miranda Calha (Portugal) were elected and Petras Austrevicius (Lithuania), Hugh Bayley (United Kingdom) and Jadwiga Zakrzewska (Poland), were re-elected by acclamation.

The President thanked Jean-Michel Boucheron (France) and Hon Mike Ross(United States), the outgoing Vice‑Presidents, for their contribution to the work of the Assembly.

10. Election of Treasurer of the Assembly

There being only one nomination for the post of Treasurer, Pierre Claude Nolin(Canada)was re‑elected by acclamation.

Petras Austrevicius (Lithuania), a Vice-President of the Assembly, took the Chair.

11. Presentation by Mr Hugh Bayley, Vice-President of the Assembly and Chairman of the Economics and Security Committee, of the draft Declaration on Supporting Transition in Afghanistan, debate and Vote on the draft Declaration [212 SESA 11 E]

Hugh Bayley (United Kingdom) presented the draft Declaration.

Elio Lannutti (Italy) and Michael Turner (United States) spoke.

Mr Bayley replied.

Paragraphs 1 to 11 were agreed to.

Amendment No. 2 was withdrawn.

Paragraphs 12 and 13 were agreed to.

Amendment No. 4 was withdrawn.

Ali Riza Alaboyun (Turkey) moved Amendment No. 5, as follows:

After paragraph 13, insert the following new paragraph:

Affirming its support for the ongoing trilateral and multilateral initiatives aimed at contributing to develop co-operation between Afghanistan and its regional partners and in this vein welcoming the Istanbul Statement on Friendship and Cooperation in the Heart of Asia, adopted at the Istanbul Summit on 26 January 2010;

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 5 was agreed to.

David Crausby (United Kingdom) moved Amendment No. 6, as follows:

After paragraph 13, insert the following new paragraph:

Recognising andappreciating the contribution and sacrifice of the Pakistani authorities and the Pakistani people in combating extremism and seeking to enhance security particularly in the regions borderingAfghanistan;

João Rebelo (Portugal), Ali Riza Alaboyun (Turkey) and Sergio De Gregorio (Italy) spoke.

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 6 was agreed to.

David Crausby (United Kingdom) moved Amendment No. 7, as follows:

After paragraph 13, insert the following new paragraph:

Recognising that cross-border activity by terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan threatens the security of civilians and military personnel in both countries;

Ali Riza Alaboyun (Turkey) spoke.

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 7 was agreed to.

Ali Riza Alaboyun (Turkey) moved Amendment No. 3, as follows:

In paragraph 14, replace the words "Bonn and Kabul" with:

Istanbul and Bonn

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 3 was agreed to.

Paragraph 14, as amended, was agreed to.

Paragraph 15 was agreed to.

Sergio De Gregorio(Italy) moved Amendment No. 1, as follows:

After sub-paragraph 16.f, insert the following new sub-paragraph:

to favour the integration of Afghan civil society into the country’s political and institutional sphere, and the development of independent media;

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 1 was agreed to.

Paragraph 16, as amended, was agreed to.

David Crausby (United Kingdom) moved Amendment No. 8, as follows:

Leave out sub-paragraph 17.a and insert the following new sub-paragraph:

to continue their efforts to combat terrorism and further enhance operational co-ordination with ISAF and Afghan forces;

Pierfrancesco Emilio R. Gamba (Italy) spoke.

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 8 was agreed to.

David Crausby (United Kingdom) moved Amendment No. 9, as follows:

Leave out sub-paragraph 17.b and insert the following new sub-paragraph:

to further intensify its co-operation withAfghanistanin seeking a political solution;

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 9 was agreed to.

David Crausby(United Kingdom) moved Amendment No. 10, as follows:

In sub-paragraph 17.d, replace the words "consider the establishment of a" with:

further strengthen

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 10 was agreed to.

Paragraph 17, as amended, was agreed to.

David Crausby (United Kingdom) moved Amendment No. 11, as follows:

After Sub-paragraph 17.d., insert the following new paragraph:

CALLS UPON the governments and parliaments ofAfghanistanandPakistanto prevent illegal cross‑border movements by terrorists.

Mr Bayley replied.

Amendment No. 11 was agreed to.

The draft Declaration on Supporting Transition in Afghanistan; [212 SESA 11 E], as amended, was agreed to.

The sitting was suspended between 1.20 p.m. and 2.35 p.m. and resumed with Mr Hugh Bayley (United Kingdom), a Vice-President of the Assembly, in the Chair.

12. Presentation by Hon David Scott, General Rapporteur of the Science and Technology Committee, of the text on Countering Biological and Chemical Threats submitted by the Committee; debate and Vote on the draft Resolution [208 STC 11 E rev. 1]

David Scott (United States) presented the draft Resolution.

The draft Resolution Countering Biological and Chemical Threats [208 STC 11 E rev. 1] was agreed to.

13. Presentation by Mrs Raynell Andreychuk on behalf of Mr Assen Agov, General Rapporteur of the Political Committee, of the draft Resolution on The Political Transformation in the Middle East and North Africa submitted by the Committee; debate and Vote on the draft Resolution [205 PC 11 E rev. 2]

Raynell Andreychuk (Canada), Chairperson of the Committee presented the draft Resolution on behalf of Mr Agov.

Giovanni Torri (Italy) spoke.

Mrs Andreychuk replied.

Paragraphs 1 to 14 were agreed to.

Petras Austrevicius(Lithuania) moved Amendment No. 1, as follows:

after sub-paragraph 15.e, insert the following sub-paragraph:

to take action in promoting free trade agreements with MENA countries;

Vincenzo Bianco(Italy) and Pierre Claude Nolin(Canada) spoke.

Mrs Andreychuk replied.

Amendment No. 1 was rejected.

Paragraph 15 was agreed to.

Paragraphs 16 and 17 were agreed to.

Vincenzo Bianco(Italy) spoke.

The draft Resolution on The Political Transformation in the Middle East and North Africa; [205 PC 11 E rev. 2] was agreed to.

14.  Presentation by Mr Simon van Driel, General Rapporteur, of the Economics and Security Committee, of the text on Confronting a Difficult Fiscal Environment: Economic Crises, Fiscal Consolidation and the Risk of Europe's Strategic Irrelevance submitted by the Committee; debate and Vote on the draft Resolution [200 ESC 11 E rev. 1]

Simon van Driel (Netherlands) presented the draft Resolution.

Elio Lannutti (Italy)spoke.

Mr van Driel replied.

The draft Resolution Confronting a Difficult Fiscal Environment: Economic Crises, Fiscal Consolidation and the Risk of Europe's Strategic Irrelevance[200 ESC 11 E rev. 1] was agreed to.

Hendrick Jan Ormel (Netherlands) thanked Mr van Driel.

15. Presentation by Mr Sven Mikser, General Rapporteur of the Defence and Security Committee, of the text on Supporting the Libyan People submitted by the Committee; debate and Vote on the draft Resolution [194 DSC 11 E rev. 1]

Sven Mikser (Estonia) presented the draft Resolution.

Sergio De Gregorio (Italy), Pierfrancesco Emilio R. Gamba (Italy), Arturo Parisi (Italy), Ulla Schmidt (Germany), Philippe Vitel (France) and João Rebelo (Portugal) spoke.

Mr Mikser replied.

Paragraphs 1 and 2 were agreed to.

Marko Mihkelson (Estonia) moved Amendment No. 1, as follows

After paragraph 2, insert the following new paragraph:

Honouring the many victims of Libyan state-sponsored terrorism;

Mr Mikser replied.

Amendment No. 1 was agreed to.

Pierfrancesco Emilio R. Gamba (Italy) proposed a verbal amendment as follows:

In paragraph 3, before the word "condemning", insert the word "Specifically".

Mr Mikser replied.

The verbal amendment was agreed to.

Marko Mihkelson (Estonia) moved Amendment No. 2, as follows:

In paragraph 3, after the words "the struggle to end Muammar Qaddafi's rule",  delete the remainder of the paragraph.

Mr Mikser replied.

Amendment No. 2 was agreed to.

Paragraph 3, as amended, was agreed to.

Paragraphs 4 to 8 were agreed to.

A separate vote on paragraph 9 was requested.

Paragraph 9 was agreed to.

Paragraphs 10 and 11 were agreed to.

A separate vote on paragraph 12 was requested.

Paragraph 12 was agreed to.

Paragraphs 13  to 17 were agreed to.

Vincenzo Bianco (Italy) and Giovanni Torri (Italy) spoke.

The draft Resolution Supporting the Libyan People [194 DSC 11 E rev. 1], as amended, was agreed to.

16. Presentation by Lord Jopling, General Rapporteur of the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security, of the text on Cyber Security submitted by the Committee; debate and Vote on the draft Resolution [209 CDS 11 E rev. 1]

Lord Jopling (United Kingdom) presented the draft Resolution.

The draft Resolution Cyber Security [209 CDS 11 E rev. 1] was agreed to.

The President resumed the Chair.

17. Presentation by Mr Pierre Claude Nolin, Treasurer of the Assembly, and Vote on the draft Budget of the Assembly for 2012 [118 FIN 11 E rev. 1 bis ]

Pierre Claude Nolin(Canada) presented the draft Budget for 2012.

The draft Budget of the Assembly for 2012 [118 FIN 11 E rev. 1 bis] was agreed to.

The President thanked Mr Nolin.

18. Vote on the draft amendment to the Rules of Procedure [199 SC 11 E]

The President submitted to the Assembly for final approval the draft amendment to the Rules of Procedure, as approved by the Standing Committee.

The amendment to the Rules of Procedure was agreed to.

19. Closure of the Session

The President thanked the Romanian Delegation, its staff, the staff of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Romania, the International Secretariat, the interpreters, the security staff and all the others who had helped the session run so smoothly.

The Session was closed at 4.08 p.m.

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