Hanoi (VNA) - Striving for peace,security, cooperation and development is a major, standard, and urgent task forall Asia-Pacific Parliamantary Forum (APPF) members, said Vice Chairman of Vietnam’sNational Assembly Do Ba Ty on January 19.

He made the remarks at the first plenary session on politicaland security matters of the 26th APPF meeting that is underway in Hanoi.

On behalfof the Vietnamese delegation, the NA Vice Chairman proposed the APPFparliaments should play an active role in buildinga law-based environment of regional peace, security. As legislative bodies,they need to institutionalize international committments into their domesticlaws, increase monitoring of implementation of responsibilities andcommittments to international conventions and laws, he stressed.

Theparliaments could also review,promulgate, and supplement relevant legal documents related to the promotion ofmutual understanding and cooperation among countries on the basis ofinternational law and UN principles, including respect for sovereignty,political independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of States,non-use of force or threat to use force, resolve international disputes by peacefulmeans, he said.

He urged the parliaments to work toturn sustainable development into a long-term and prevailing orientation fordevelopment policies and measures. ‘The APPFcan take the lead in strengthening a free, open, transparent, inclusive andrules-based multilateral system,’ Ty suggested.

This year, Vietnam has prepared a draft resolution:“Promoting Parliamentary Diplomacy for peace,security and prosperity in the region and over the world” aimed at highlightingthe role of parliaments in promoting observance of international law,supporting the peaceful resolution of disputes; urging greater cooperation,realising international commitments to respond to current common challenges;realise the priorities agreed to by member economies following APEC 2017 suchas promoting inclusive, innovative, sustainable and equitable growth.

Besidesthe promotion of parliamentary diplomacy for peace, security and prosperity inthe region and the world, the APPF-26’s first plenary session also looked intothe fight against international terrorism and trans-border crime.
Participants pointed to risks posed byincreasing trade protectionism and called on support and cooperation among theAPPF members for trade liberalisation.

Parliamentary diplomacy to end humanrights violation and the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue were alsoamong the deliberated topics.

Fahri Hamzah, Vice Speaker ofIndonesia’s House of Representatives, noted that global challenges require deeperdiscussions at the parliamentary level, adding that Indonesia has includedparliamentary diplomacy in law-making process as a measure to boost theactivity.

He said parliamentary diplomacy shouldplay a greater role in addressing regional conflicts, particularly the Rohingyacrisis.

Masazumi Gotoda, member of Japan’s Houseof Representatives, stressed the importance of dialogue particularly in the settlementof issues on the Korean peninsula.

Konstantin Kosachev, member of Russia’s parliamentand Head of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, called for joint actions againstthe proliferation of chemical and mass-destruction weapon.

Lastinguntil January 21, the APPF-26 features four plenary sessions on the topics ofpolitics-security, economics-trade, regional cooperation in Asia-Pacific, andthe future of APPF.

Foundedin Tokyo, Japan in 1993, the APPF now gathers 27 members, namely Australia,Cambodia, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Indonesia,Japan, Laos, Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, NewZealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea,Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.

Itis a mechanism that enables parliamentarians to discuss issues of commonconcern, and to deepen their understanding of the region and the interests andexperience of its diverse members. The forum’s proceedings address political,security, economic, social and cultural issues, thus furthering regionalcooperation and building relations between and among parliamentarians from theAsia-Pacific region.-VNA