Secretaries of delegations

079 SD 06 E

Original: English

 

 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MINUTES

 

 

 

of the meeting of the Secretaries of Delegations

 

 

Friday 24 March 2006

Gdynia Naval Academy

Gdynia, Poland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Secretariat                                                                                                        March 2006


ATTENDANCE LIST

 

 

Chairperson                                                     Natalia Jaskiewicz

 

Deputy Secretary General                             David Hobbs

 

Deputy to the Secretary General for            Andrea Cellino

Partnerships and External Relations          

 

Head, Conference Service                            Gill Rawling

 

Secretaries of the Delegations

Belgium                                                              Frans Van Melkebeke

Bulgaria                                                              Borislav Penchev

Canada                                                              Denis Robert

Czech Republic                                                 Olga Bendikova (Chamber of Deputies)

Denmark                                                            Morten Roland Hansen

Estonia                                                               Tanja Espe

France                                                                Frédéric Taillet (National Assembly)

Hungary                                                              Károly Tüzes

Iceland                                                                Stigur Stefansson

Italy                                                                     Mario Napoli (Chamber of Deputies)

Latvia                                                                  Sandra Paura

Lithuania                                                             Snieguole Ziukaite

Netherlands                                                        Leo van Waasbergen

Norway                                                               Margit Gjelten

Portugal                                                              Luísa Pinto Basto

Romania                                                            Irina Bojin (House Of Deputies)

Slovakia                                                              Jarmila Nováková

Slovenia                                                             Tamara Gruden-Pecan

Spain                                                                  Mercedes Araujo

Turkey                                                                Yesim Uslu

United Kingdom                                                 Libby Davidson

 

 

Accompanying the delegations                    

 

Germany                                                            Johannes von Ahlefeldt 

Spain                                                                  Araceli Quintano

 

 

Polish Secretariat                                                   

                                                                           Mikolaj Karlowski                                          

                                                                           Karolina Glowacka

                                                                                                           

 

International Secretariat                                Helen Cadwallender

                                                                           Christine Heffinck

                                                                           Helena Hradilova

                                                                           Susan Millar

                                                                            

 

 


1.       Opening of the proceedings

 

The meeting opened at 18.30 p.m. with Natalia Jaskiewicz, Secretary of the Polish delegation, in the Chair.

 

Ms Jaskiewicz (PL) welcomed colleagues to Gdynia, Poland, and introduced her Polish colleagues, Ms Karolina Glowacka, Mr Michal Makowka and Mr Karlowski, the former Secretary of the Polish Delegation, to participants.

 

Mr Hobbs (NATO PA) welcomed the participants to Gdynia on behalf of the International Secretariat and thanked Mr Karlowski for providing the International Secretariat with such an efficient successor in Ms Jaskiewicz.

 

Ms Rawling (NATO PA) introduced the new Secretaries of Member Delegations: Mr Stigur Stefansson (IS) and Ms Margit Gjelten (NO).

 

2.       Adoption of the Draft Agenda [053 SD 06 E]

 

The draft Agenda [053 SD 06 E] was adopted.

 

 

3.      Adoption of the Minutes of the meeting of the Secretaries of Delegations held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Friday 11 November 2005 [235 SD 05 E]

 

The Minutes [235 SD 05 E] were adopted.

 

 

4.       Programme of the meetings in Gdynia [031 SC 06 E Rev.1]

 

Ms Jaskiewicz (PL) gave details of the social programme and transportation during the meeting.

 

 

5.            Consideration of the Draft Agenda of the Standing Committee meeting

   [040 SC 06 E Rev. 1]  

 

The draft Agenda was noted.

 

 

6.      Preparation of the Spring Session in Paris, France, from 26 to 30 May 2006 

Draft Programme [020 SESP 06 E]

General Information [005 SESP 06 E]

Programme for Accompanying Persons [037 SESP 06 E]

 

Mr Taillet (FR) provided details of the forthcoming Spring Session in Paris in May.

 

He drew attention to the fact that those arriving in time to attend the 1st plenary sitting may not have access to their hotel rooms before the meetings.  However, he gave assurance that luggage would be taken care of. 

 

He gave details of speakers at the two plenary sittings.  In addition to those already appearing on the programme would almost certainly be the Minister of Defense Michèle Alliot-Marie on Friday 26 May.  Mr Milinkevich, leader of the Belorussian opposition would also be invited.  The programme and order of events for the plenary taking place on Tuesday 30 May was not yet definitive.  The discussions would focus on the Caucasus. 

He gave details on visits organised for the committees to three key military and civil bases:  Lille, site of Rapid Reaction Forces; Brest:  a naval base where nuclear submarines are usually based (although not during the visit); Satory, close to Versailles:  a civil protection base.  The visits will take place on the days when the committees are not meeting. Secretaries will be informed of all details and how to register within six weeks of the session. 

 

He then gave information on the venues and arrangements for the dinners, reception for all participants and the excursion organised during the session.

 

Mr van Waasbergen (NL) enquired why the Secretary General of NATO did not appear as a speaker during the 2nd plenary sitting.

 

Mr Taillet replied that this was because Mr de Hoop Scheffer is part of the North Atlantic Council. 

 

Ms Davidson (UK) raised a question concerning the strict cancellation policy of the hotels.

 

Mr Taillet would try to resolve the problem. 

 

Mr Napoli (IT) enquired why the three Caucasian presidents were not speaking on the same day.

 

Mr Taillet replied that this it had not been possible to find a time when all three could appear together.

 

 

7.            Preparation of the Annual Session in Quebec, Canada, from 13 to 17 November 2006  Draft Programme [052 SESA 06 E]

 

Mr Robert (CA) informed participants of the progress being made with the organisation of the Autumn Session in Canada in November 2006, and drew attention specifically to the fact that official transportation would not be available from Montreal airport, advising participants to organise flights directly to Quebec City. He advised Secretaries of Delegation to arrive the day before their meeting in November as flights the same day would not enable them to arrive in time to attend.

 

One hotel, the Château Frontenac, has been selected for all participants, with very favourable rates.

 

Emphasis was also placed upon the fact that Quebec would be a non-smoking province as of May 2006, after which smoking would be banned in all public areas.

 

Mr Taillet (FR) noted that Members participating in the NATO-Russia Council meetings would also be advised to take flights ensuring their arrival the day before their meetings.

 

8.            Preparation of Future Sessions and Meetings [024 GEN 06 E]

 

-                      Standing Committee Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, from 23 to 25 March 2007

-                      Spring Session, Madeira, Portugal, from 25 to 29 May 2007

-                      Annual Session, Reykjavik, Iceland, 5 to 9 October 2007

-                      Meetings in 2008, 2009 and 2010

 

Mr Tuzes (HU), Ms Pinto Basto (PT) and Mr Stefansson (IS) provided basic information on the preparations of future meetings or sessions in their respective countries, indicating that further details would be available at the Spring Session in Paris.

 

 

9.      Liaison between Delegations and the International Secretariat

 

Ms Jaskiewicz (PL) asked if anyone wished to raise any points. None was raised.

 

 

The meeting closed at 19.30 p.m.

 

 

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