Camp Office, Geneva

 19 July 2010

The Preparatory Committee of the 3rd World Conference of Speakers of Parliament held in Geneva on July 18, 2010 approved the insertion of a new para on terrorism suggested by India in the Declaration to be adopted by the World Speakers’ Conference.

One of the highlights of this meeting was that when Smt. Meira Kumar, the Speaker of Lok Sabha, moved the above para for the consideration of the Committee, the first country which supported it was China.

Presently, the World Speakers’ Conference is being held in Geneva.  It was inaugurated today (July 19, 2010) in the United Nations Assembly Hall in Geneva by Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of UN.  Speakers from 150 countries are participating in this Conference.  This conference will, among other things, review the progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

The para on terrorism in the Declaration moved by India speaks about the seriousness of the threat of terrorism being faced by the human kind and the need to show solidarity and collective action.

China, while supporting the para, suggested a couple of verbal amendments, which were meant to improve the text.  The amendments suggested by China were promptly accepted by India.