NPA, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 34: Presidential Update May 2020

NATO's Parlamentariske Forsamling 2019-20
NPA Alm.del Bilag 34
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THE PRESIDENT

LE PRÉSIDENT

083 CIR 20 E

13 May 2020

TO SECRETARIES OF DELEGATION FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL MEMBERS

Message from NATO PA President Attila Mesterhazy

Dear colleagues,

Once again, I would like to update you on my activities since my last message to you on 15 April 2020.

As always, I hope this message finds you healthy and safe at a time when all our countries are grappling

with important decisions on the way forward in the COVID-19 crisis and how to deal with the shocks it

is producing across the globe.

Virtual Assembly meetings

As I mentioned in my last message, I see an important role for our Assembly in the coming months in

analysing the many dimensions of this global crisis and helping us draw the lessons from it.

Since then, the Assembly held a number of virtual meetings to exchange views on managing the

immediate crisis and its aftermath, national and NATO responses, medium- and long-term effects for

Allies, NATO, and partners, and other topics related to COVID-19. On the NATO PA website, you can

find all activities and news in a dedicated section;

The Assembly's Response to COVID-19.

On 29 April, we held a

videoconference of the

Assembly’s Bureau and the Chairpersons

of its five

Committees and the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group. Members shared their views on the

COVID-19 crisis and its impacts.

Moreover, we discussed the way forward on the Assembly’s response

to the coronavirus crisis and activities for the remainder of 2020, including on the Assembly’s

contribution to the NATO reflection process

on strengthening NATO’s political dimension

(see more

below).

On 7 May, we successfully held our

first-ever webinar,

which was a resounding success. James

Appathurai, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs briefed and answered many

of you on NATO’s response to COVID-19

and the lessons the Alliance is learning from the crisis. For

those who missed it, you can find the video

here.

More webinars will be organized in the coming weeks

and months.

On 22 April, I informed you that the Spring Session in Ukraine will not take place in 2020. Next week, I

will meet with members of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO PA via videoconference to

acknowledge that, even if we cannot meet in Kyiv in 2020, the NATO PA continues to follow

developments in Ukraine and support the country. I will be joined by UNIC Co-Chair Ojars Kalnins

(Latvia).

Presidential Statements

On 16 April, I issued a

Joint Statement on the Role of Parliaments in a Time of Pandemic

with the

Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Parliamentary

Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA). In the statement,

we argue that the global crisis requires a global response. Indeed, international cooperation is key to

addressing this grave multifaceted crisis and this includes, emphatically, interparliamentary diplomacy,

cooperation, and coordination.

INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT

· SECRÉTARIAT INTERNATIONAL

Place du Petit Sablon 3

B-1000 Brussels

+32 2 504 81 55

[email protected]

www.nato-pa.int

NPA, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 34: Presidential Update May 2020

THE PRESIDENT

LE PRÉSIDENT

Following the tragic accident involving a Canadian helicopter engaged as part of NATO operations in

the Mediterranean Sea at the end of April, I wrote to the new Head of the Canadian delegation on all of

your behalf to express our sincere condolences, and pay our respect to the deceased soldiers for their

service to the Alliance.

NATO Reflection Process

I would like to update you

on the Assembly’s involvement

in the

NATO Secretary General’s

reflection

process

on strengthening NATO’s political

dimension.

Since January, Secretary General Popa and I have been in regular contact with NATO on this issue, at

various levels. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Group of Experts convened by him

remain committed to engage with the Assembly during the process.

Since my last message, I have sent introductory letters to the 10 members of the Group of Experts

convened by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. I have also had a

phone conversation

with

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana

on the Assembly’s involvement.

The

process for the Assembly’s involvement is coming together. I will be able

to share more information

in my June message to you.

Next steps

On 29 May, we will convene a

Standing Committee

meeting via videoconference. The agenda,

documents, and practical details about the meeting will be sent to delegations in due course. I would

also like to encourage those members of the Standing Committee who have not yet done so to join our

dedicated chat group on Signal. Do not hesitate to contact our Secretary General for any questions.

I would like to refer to the letter by Secretary General Popa from 11 May, where she lays out what other

activities are in store over the coming weeks and months, including webinars, a COVID-19 survey, and

interviews with the heads of all member delegation. We will share further updates as soon as possible.

As always, I would like to encourage you to sign up to the Assembly’s newsletter to follow our latest

activities, which you can do on the bottom of the NATO PA web site.

Thank you for your active commitment to the NATO PA and thank you for your trust. Please do not