The 11th Meeting of the Standing Committee
 September 24-26, 2009, Astana, Kazakhstan

The 11th Meeting of the Standing Committee was held in Astana during September 24-26, 2009 on the sidelines of the 5th GA.  The meeting was attended by 14 members of the Standing Committee, with 4 members abstaining.  The Meeting was also attended by the Delegation from the COPPPAL. 

The following understandings and agreements were made at the meeting:

First, the Members endorsed the programs, procedures and annotated agenda for the 4th GA as prepared by the Organizing Committee.

Second, the Members reviewed and approved the draft ¡°Astana Declaration toward an Asian Community,¡± and recommended to the Plenary Session for its adoption.

Third, the Members reviewed and approved the proposed amendments of the Charter of the ICAPP, recommended it to the Plenary Session for its adoption.

Fourth, it was confirmed that the decision not to invite certain eligible political parties to the GA can be made only by the consensus of the Standing Committee.

Fifth, the Members took note that year 2010 would mark the 10th anniversary of the ICAPP and discussed various ways to celebrate the occasion and make it another momentum to further advance the ideals and the activities of the ICAPP, including convening the next General Assembly in 2010 instead of waiting two years until 2011 after the end of the 5th GA as had been the tradition of the ICAPP.  They also recalled that the 5th GA was originally scheduled to be held in Islamabad in October 2008, but, due to the most unfortunate incident taken place in Islamabad immediately prior to the event, the time and venue had been changed.  In this regard, the Members accepted the kind offer by Hon. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Secretary General of the Pakistan Muslim League, and to hold the 6th GA in Karachi during Nov. 5-7, 2011.

Sixth, the Members approved the draft report of the Standing Committee on the ICAPP activities since the end of the 4th GA as prepared by the Secretariat and agreed to submit it to the Plenary Session for its approval.

Seventh, the Members decided on the new list of the eighteen political parties from eighteen different countries which would nominate their representatives to compose the new ICAPP Standing Committee in accordance with Article 9 of the ICAPP Charter. In selecting the political parties which would be represented in the Standing Committee, contributions made by each political party and their potential roles in further promoting the objectives and principles of the ICAPP had been taken into consideration together with more balanced geographical representation in the Standing Committee. The Members also took note that there were other political parties which had expressed their willingness to serve in the Standing Committee. 

Eighth, it was confirmed by Hon. Jhala Nath Khanal, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) that the 12th Meeting of the Standing Committee would be held in Kathmandu in February 2010 under the auspices of the CPN (UML). It was further agreed that the 13th Meeting of the Standing Committee would be held in Karachi on the margins of the 6th GA to be held in Karachi during November 5-7, 2010.

Ninth, the Members recalled with great satisfaction the outcomes of the first Joint Session between the ICAPP Standing Committee and the COPPPAL Coordinating Body held in Buenos Aires during July 30 to 31, 2009, and expressed their gratitude to the COPPPAL for their warm hospitality through Hon. Gustavo Caravajal Moreno, Deputy Chairman of the COPPPAL, who had attended the Meeting of the 5th General Assembly. The Members further agreed to hold the 2nd Joint Session in Karachi during November 3 to 4, 2009 immediately prior to the 6th General Assembly, and the COPPPAL Delegation agreed to the time and venue.

Tenth, the Members welcomed the offer made by Hon. Liu Hongcai, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, to host the Special ICAPP Workshop on the theme of ¡°Poverty Reduction and Alleviation under Globalization¡± in Beijing during the early part of June 2010 as one of the follow-up events of the 5th GA and as a part of the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the ICAPP.  The workshop would be held for one and a half day and then be followed by a site visit to one of the provinces in West China. 

Eleventh, the Members welcomed the participation by Hon. Dr. Hadi Nejad Hosseinian, Secretary General of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in the 5th General Assembly, and also his agreement to cooperate with the ICAPP Secretariat to convene the first Joint Session between the ICAPP Standing Committee and the ASPA Executive Council. They further requested both Secretary Generals of the ICAPP and the APA to coordinate and make recommendations as for the time, venue and agenda of the first joint session in the near future.

Twelfth, the Members welcomed and endorsed the joint initiative by Hon. Jose de Venecia, Jr. Chairman of the ICAPP Standing Committee and Hon. Antonio Cafiero, Chairman of the COPPPAL to reach out political parties in other regions of the world.