12 november 2008 - 54th NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY SESSION IN VALENCIA, SPAIN, 14-18 November 2008

During five days in the Palacios de Congresos, some 250 parliamentarians from 26 NATO Member States, 19 Associate countries (including Russia and Georgia), and a number of Parliamentary Observers (including for the first time a delegation from South Korea), will be discussing major international security issues. The Session’s proceedings will open on Saturday 15 November with two-day meetings of the NATO PA Committees (Political, Defence and Security, Science and Technology, Civil Dimension of Security, Economics and Security), during which members of parliament will exchange views with a number of senior government officials and experts on a selection of subjects of relevance to their respective committees. The adoption of draft reports and resolutions will also be debated and submitted for legislators’ vote during these committee meetings. 

Once adopted, Committee Resolutions are then to be submitted for the vote of the plenary sitting of the Assembly on Tuesday 18 November, and subsequently presented as policy recommendations for the consideration of the Secretary General of NATO.  Adding to these resolutions, which will deal with NATO's ongoing operations, economic reconstruction in Afghanistan, energy security, the future of NATO-Russia relations and Kosovo, a declaration on the conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation shall also be adopted.

Mr Jaap DE HOOP SCHEFFER, Secretary General of NATO, Mr José LELLO, President of the NATO PA, General John CRADDOCK, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Mr Mikheil SAAKASHVILI, President of Georgia, and Mr Kanat SAUDABAYEV, Secretary of State of Kazakhstan, in addition to other high ranking Spanish officials, will address this plenary audience on 18 November.

Jose LELLO, PRESIDENT OF the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Jesus CUADRADO, the Head of the Spanish Delegation to the NATO PA  will give a detailed press briefing at 11:00am on Friday 14 NOVEMBER, Palacio de Congresos, Valencia

Committee agendas, reports and resolutions are available in the Committee rooms or at the following U.R.L :  http://www.nato-pa.int/default.asp?SHORTCUT=1577    

The Session is open to accredited Media. Please visit the following page for further information: http://www.nato-pa.int/Default.asp?SHORTCUT=1600