Secretaries of delegations

145 SD 06 E

Original: English

 

 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MINUTES

 

 

 

Meeting of the Secretaries of Delegations

Salle Neuilly, Palais de Congrès, Paris, France

 

Friday 26 May 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Secretariat                                                                                                          June 2006


ATTENDANCE LIST

 

 

Chairpersons                                                            Frédéric Taillet (National Assembly)

                                                                                    Etienne Sallenave (Senate)

 

Deputy Secretary General                                      David Hobbs

Deputy to the Secretary General for Partnerships

and External Relations                                            Andrea Cellino

Head, Conference Service                                     Gill Rawling

IT Manager                                                                Dwight Griswold

 

Project manager (Idéecom)                                     Franck Attal

 

 

Secretaries of delegations

Albania (Assembly of the Republic)                            Manjola Alizoti-Enz (acting)

Algeria (Council of the Nation)                                    Dalila Mokhazmi (acting)

Algeria (National People's Assembly)                         Faiza Lamia Alahoum

Armenia (National Assembly)                                     Zabela Ghazaryan (acting)

Austria (National Council)                                           Lukas Mussi

Azerbaijan (National Assembly)                                  Rahim Akhundov

Belgium                                                                       Frans van Melkebeke

Bulgaria (National Assembly)                                     Borislav Penchev

Canada                                                                       Denis Robert

Denmark (Folketing)                                                   Morten Roland Hansen

Estonia (Riigikogu)                                                      Tanja Espe

European Parliament                                                  Armand Franjulien

Finland (Eduskunta)                                                    Heikki Savola

France                                                                         (in the chair)

Georgia (Sakartvelos)                                                 Archil Osidze

Germany (Bundesrat)                                                 Annemarie Bürsch

Germany (Bundestag)                                                Rainer Büscher

Greece (Chamber of Deputies)                                  Roxani Xeplati

Hungary (National Assembly)                                     Károly Tüzes

Iceland (Althing)                                                          Stígur Stefánsson

Italy (Chamber of Deputies)                                        Cristina De Cesare

Jordan (Senate)                                                          Nathir Al-Awamleh (acting)

Latvia (Saeima)                                                           Sandra Paura

Lithuania (Seimas)                                                      Snieguolé Žiúkaité

Luxembourg (Chamber of Deputies)                          Isabelle Barra

Netherlands                                                                 Leo van Waasbergen

Portugal (Assembly of the Republic)                          Luísa Pinto Basto

Romania (House of Deputies)                                    Irina Bojin

Romania (Senate)                                                      Ioan Ilie

Russia (Federation Council)                                       Viacheslav Kolotvin

Russia (State Duma)                                                  Marina Yakovlevá

Slovakia (National Council)                                         Jarmila Nováková

Slovenia (National Assembly)                                     Tamara Gruden-Pečan

Spain (Congress of Deputies)                                    Mercedes Araujo

Sweden (Riksdag)                                                      Ann-Sofi Lindenbaum

Switzerland                                                                 Pierre-Yves Breuleux

Turkey (Grand National Assembly)                             Yeşim Uslu

Ukraine (Supreme Rada)                                            Ihor Mysyk

United Kingdom (House of Commons)                      Libby Davidson

Accompanying the delegations                    

Austria                                                                         David Liebich

Belgium                                                                       Ferdinand Vanthournout 

Canada                                                                       Elizabeth Rody

European Parliament                                                  Luis Balsells

                                                                                    Andrea Kralova

Germany                                                                     Andrea Bou-Said

                                                                                    Stephanie Brooks

                                                                                    Susanne Müller

Greece                                                                        Sophia Vergis

Italy (Senate)                                                               Laura Ellina Tabladini

Italy (Chamber of Deputies)                                        Pia Califano

                                                                                    Stefania Perozzi

Netherlands                                                                 Wilma Kooijman

Norway                                                                        Lisbeth Merete Stock

Poland                                                                         Andrzej Januszewski

Spain                                                                           Araceli Quintano

Turkey                                                                         Aylin Sav

United Kingdom                                                          Andrew Hubner

 

 

French Secretariat                                                   Sylvie Bizzozzero

 

International Secretariat

Eva Antunano

Isabelle Arcis

Andrius Avizius

Sébastien Botella

Claudia Buerkin

Helen Cadwallender

Roberta Calorio

                                                                                    Salima Chebrek

Paul Cook

Valérie Geffroy

Christine Heffinck

Helena Hradilova

Anna Macdonald

Devon Manz

Susan Millar

Audrey Nelson

Ruxandra Popa

James Rhys

Steffen Sachs

Zachary Selden

Mark Simpson

Patrick Stephenson

Svitlana Svyetova

Claire Watkins

Catherine Zekas

 


 

The meeting opened at 13.10 with Frédéric Taillet (National Assembly) in the Chair.

 

1.       Opening of the proceedings

 

Mr Taillet (FR) welcomed colleagues to the Spring Session in Paris. He introduced Etienne Sallenave, Secretary of the French Senate Delegation, and Franck Attal, of Idéecom, an event management company with whom the French Parliament had closely collaborated in preparation for the session.

 

Mr Hobbs (NATO PA) expressed his pleasure that the Spring Session was being held in Paris.

 

Ms Rawling (NATO PA) introduced the new Secretaries of Delegation:  Stígur Stefánsson (IS), Cristina De Cesare from the Chamber of Deputies (IT), Margit Gjelten (NO) and Marina Yakovlevá from the State Duma (RU). She welcomed those replacing the official Secretaries of Delegation for this session only: Manjola Alizoti-Enz (AL), Dalila Mokhazmi (DZ), Zabela Ghazaryan (AM) and Nathir Al-Awamleh (JO).

 

She also informed those present of staffing changes within the Assembly:  Helen Cadwallender would be leaving her position as Coordinator of the Economics and Security Committee to join the Conference Service.  A new recruit, Reena Panchal would take the post of Coordinator of the Economics and Security Committee.

 

 

2.       Adoption of the Draft Agenda [102 SD 06 E]

 

The Draft Agenda [102 SD 06 E] was adopted.

 

 

3.       Adoption of the Minutes of the meeting of the Secretaries of Delegation held in Gdynia, Poland, on Friday 24 March 2006 [079 SD 06 E]

 

The Minutes [079 SD 06 E] were adopted.

 

 

4.       Questions concerning the current session [handbook]

 

Mr Taillet gave details on the working programme for the session, in particular regarding arrangements for the two plenary sittings and the committee visits.  He also gave information regarding the reception to take place at the Hôtel de Lassay at the National Assembly.

 

Mr Sallenave gave information regarding the dinners for the Standing Committee and the Secretaries of Delegations to take place at the Palais du Luxembourg at the Senate.

 

Mr Attal gave details relating to the social programme and transport arrangements for the session.

 

 

5.       Consideration of the Draft Agenda of the Standing Committee meeting [019 SC 06 E Rev.1]

 

The Draft Agenda was noted.

 


 

6.       Preparation of the 52nd Annual Session in Québec, Canada, from Monday 13 to Friday           17 November 2006

 

Ms Rody (CA) provided information regarding the forthcoming session in Québec.  She informed participants that the organizers would have a web-site dedicated to the event, which should be available very shortly http://www.natopa-apotan.ca/

 

She also recommended that participants bring winter coats, boots and gloves in anticipation of either cold or rainy weather.

 

She advised delegations to make their transfer reservations from Toronto or Montreal airports as early as possible and informed participants that transport from Québec airport to the official session hotel would be available on both 12 and 13 November and return transport would be available on 17 and 18 November 2006. Those arriving on different dates could use taxis to and from Québec Jean Lesage airport, the journey costing approximately CAD 30.  Should delegates prefer to travel from Montreal to Québec by bus, this journey takes approximately 3 hours.

 

The Canadian organizers strongly recommend that delegations make reservations at the Hotel Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, where 600 rooms have been provisionally reserved. The negotiated session rates were very favourable.  Delegations were encouraged to reserve            non-smoking rooms early as Québec is a non-smoking province and 40% of the rooms are smoking rooms.  The hotel is a ten-minute walk from the conference centre, though shuttle buses will also be available on this route all day for the duration of the conference. The accommodation document would be distributed shortly and also be available on the session website. 

 

-            Draft Programme [052 SESA 06 E Rev.1]

 

Ms Rody noted that in addition to the social events already on the programme there would be a reception hosted by the President of the Québec National Assembly on the first evening. She drew attention to the fact that this should not affect the usual free evening to be spent with embassies as Québec is a provincial city and there are only a few consulates.  She added that the Secretaries of Delegations’ dinner would take place in a relaxed, lively atmosphere, recommending that participants wear informal, warm clothing for the occasion.

 

-            Excursions [103 SESA 06 E]

 

Prior to each departure of the four excursion groups to separate locations, presentations in English and French on the history of Québec will be given at the Hotel Château Frontenac. Availability for each of the excursions will be limited and places filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

-            Programme for Accompanying Persons [104 SESA 06 E]

         

Ms Rody noted that there would be a two-day programme laid on for the accompanying persons too.

 

Participants would be able to sign up in advance for all excursions on the session website. 


 

7.       Preparation of Future Sessions and Meetings [024 GEN 06 E Rev.1]

 

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

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

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

 

 

Ms Pinto Basto (PO), Mr Stefánsson (IS) and Mr Tüzes (HU) informed participants that more information on the meetings their countries are hosting would be available at the Annual Session in Canada in November 2006.

 

 

8.       Liaison between Delegations and the International Secretariat

 

Mr Griswold (NATO PA) informed participants that the ‘Pink List’ was being discontinued in printed form since all the information it contained could be found on the Assembly’s intranet site.  Claire Watkins would be pleased to demonstrate the use of the intranet site and anyone who wanted a demonstration should contact Claire during the course of the session.

 

The meeting closed at 14.15.

 

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