No. 27. (05/11/2004)

NATO POLITICIANS TO REVIEW STATE OF THE ALLIANCE AT 50^th ANNUAL SESSION IN VENICE
(5 November 2004)

300 legislators from North America and Europe participated in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's (NATO PA) 50th Annual Session in Venice from November 12 to 16 2004 at the Palazzo del Casino and Palazzo del Cinema, Lido di Venezia. The 5 day session focused on a wide range of issues, currently affecting the Transatlantic Alliance - including 'post-conflict' reconstruction and development in Afghanistan and Iraq -, the war against terrorism, NATO's capabilities, commitments and new partnerships - including the "Istanbul Cooperation Initiative", Alliance operations and missions, the threat from weapons of mass destruction (wmd) and the security relationship between NATO and the European Union.

A highlight of the Session was a joint plenary meeting on Saturday November 13 from 9 am to 12 noon between the NATO PA and the NATO Council (ie 26 NATO Ambassadors - the principal decision-making authority of the North Atlantic Alliance). There was also meetings of the NATO PA's five committees - Defence and Security, Civil Dimension of Security, Political, Economics and Security and Science and Technology - on Friday 12, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November. The committees considered a series of reports* on topical issues and hear presentations from international specialists and Italian Government ministers.
A Plenary Session hold on Tuesday 16 November - which included addresses by Senator Marcello Pera, the Speaker of the Italian Senate, Mr. Franco Frattini, the Italian Foreign Minister, General James L. Jones, the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) and Mr Doug Bereuter, the President of the NATO PA.

Background: The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, founded in 1955 with a Brussels-based secretariat, brings together 248 national parliamentarians from the 26 NATO countries. The 13 associate delegations from Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Russia participate in Assembly activities and meetings.

Reports are available at the NATO PA website http://www.nato-pa.int.

The 13 associate delegations are: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Ukraine.

2. IX. International Parliamentary NATO Conference, New Missions, New Capabilities, New Partnerships After Istanbul
Budapest, 11 November 2004

During the Hungarian Republic's five years in the North Atlantic Alliance the Hungarian National Assembly made continuous efforts to inform politicians as well as the public about NATO affairs and to make an account of the duties and tasks emanating from the country's NATO membership. The NATO conferences organised by our Assembly were met with great appreciation and were characterised also by the highest possible level of attendance from Hungarian political, military as well as NATO circles.

As in the previous years the Parliament organises the 9^th annual autumn NATO conference in 2004. The conference is scheduled on 11 November 2004 a few months after the Istanbul Summit where the Alliance continued its historic work to make the Atlantic Alliance more effective and responsive.

The Hungarian National Assembly with its own special means continues to support the reorganization of the Alliance as well as the country's efforts to act as a responsible NATO member. Furthermore, it is also the Parliament's intention to continue the communication with the interested public in this vital national matter.

New security risks and challenges are threatening the basic values and peaceful existence of the nations of the Euro-Atlantic area. The aim of our conference is to inform and prepare the new generation of politicians and the public of these new dangers.