EP President Pöttering affirms support for United Nations Parliamentary Assembly
The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, has affirmed the parliament's support for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations (UNPA). In a welcome message published on the occasion of an international meeting of the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (CEUNPA) convening in the European Parliament in Brussels on 4 and 5 November, Mr Pöttering stressed that almost 15 years ago the European Parliament already supported the proposal "as one of the first parliamentary institutions in the world". "Today, in times of globalization, it is much less justifiable than in the past to limit the democratic participation of the citizens of this world to the nation state. This is why we, as European Parliament, support ways and means to give the people a strong representation also at the global level", Mr Pöttering stated. Most recently the European Parliament adopted a call for a UNPA in a resolution on UN reform in June 2005. Several members of the European Parliament are expected to participate in the CEUNPA proceedings in Brussels. The meeting is hosted by EP deputy Jo Leinen. Picture: EP Archive.