G20 Speakers Call for Cooperation on Terrorism, Shared Growth

G20 Seoul Speakers's Consultation attracts the speakers and representatives of 26 G20 countries




Speakers of the G20 Seoul Speakers'Consultation 2011 have
adopted a communique calling for cooperation in fighting terrorism.


Speakers of the G20 parliaments got together at the G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation 2011 in Seoul from May 18-20 and pledged to fight terrorism and reached a consensus on shared growth.
“Terrorism is a grave crime that violates a human being’s most fundamental right to life, and we condemn all forms of terrorism, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. We encourage international coordination efforts against terrorism and new threats to security, including piracy, based on a global consensus on the principles and mechanisms of the United Nations,” the participants said in a communique they adopted, wrapping up the three-day G20 Consultation on May 20.
The statement said, “Today humanity faces risks both diverse and complex, including economic crisis and its social consequences, natural disasters, nuclear accidents, climate change, terrorism, transnational organized crime and other humanitarian concerns. Stronger cooperation among G20 countries is imperative in order to adequately respond to challenges to social and economic development, global safety and our common prosperity.” It said, “We welcome the “Seoul Development Consensus for Shared Growth” and “Multi-Year Action Plan on Development” endorsed by the G20 Seoul Summit, and believe that the development commitment of the G20 will be duly actioned.”
The participants agreed to regularize the G20 Speakers’ Consultations and selected the venue of the next G20 Speakers’ Consultation 2012 as Saudi Arabia. The following are the full test of G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation Joint Communiqu's, titled “A Safe World, A Better Future: A Promise for the Next Generation,” which was announced at the end of the three-day meeting in Seoul on May 20.
1. We, the speakers of the G20 Parliaments, have gathered in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from May 18 to 20, 2011 under the theme of “Development and Growth for Common Prosperity,” in the recognition that it is our common responsibility to seek a common approach toward shared growth in which all of humankind can lead prosperous lives and to secure the safety of the global community.
2. Today, humanity faces risks both diverse and complex, including economic crisis and its social consequences, natural disasters, nuclear accidents, climate change, terrorism, transnational organized crime and other humanitarian concerns. Stronger cooperation among G20 countries is imperative in order to adequately respond to challenges to social and economic development, global safety and our common prosperity.
3. We are witnessing a rising frequency of natural disasters, which are, together with the consequences of climate change, becoming a growing threat to the safety of the world and there is a need to establish a collective system of disaster prevention and relief efforts.
4. The recent accident at a nuclear power station in Japan, which was caused by the unprecedented earthquake-born tsunami, calls on the international community to re-examine existing nuclear safety standards. Parliaments of G20 countries should make efforts to focus on issues of nuclear safety regulations with a view to achieving highest standards possible and strengthen cooperation on nuclear safety, information sharing, capacity building, and emergency systems.
5. We recognize that addressing the challenges of climate change is an urgent priority for all countries, and we urge the international community to actively participate and conclude, at the earliest possible date, the United Nations climate change negotiation currently under way, reinforcing the principles agreed at the 2010 UN Climate Change Summit in Cancun, Mexico. In addition, we share the understanding that the international community should be more active in developing new and renewable forms of energy, which will help resolve issues related to climate change, and providing technological and financial assistance to least developed countries.
6. Terrorism is a grave crime that violates a human being’s most fundamental right to life, and we condemn all forms of terrorism, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. We encourage international coordination efforts against terrorism and new threats to security, including piracy, based on a global consensus on the principles and mechanisms of the United Nations. Additionally, we anticipate that the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, should produce recommendations that inter alia contribute to existing international measures in preventing the acquisition of nuclear materials by terrorist organizations.
7. Conflicts still prevalent in different parts of the world present a significant threat to world peace. We recognize the importance of the role of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and parliamentary diplomacy to contribute to global peace and stability.
8. We welcome the “Seoul Development Consensus for Shared Growth” and “Multi-Year Action Plan on Development” endorsed by the G20 Seoul Summit, and believe that the development commitment of the G20 will be duly actioned. In addition, we call for comprehensive support for the G20 Framework for Strong, Sustainable, and Balanced Growth and the facilitation of knowledge sharing among countries so that the diverse development experiences will be shared with the world’s least-developed countries.
9. We also recognize that the development gap is one of the sources of global imbalances and that in the aftermath of the recent global financial crisis, the global economy should move toward a “shared growth for humanity”. We also call for the development of preventive mechanisms against future contingencies.
10. In order to effectively respond to the diverse and complex crises that humanity faces today, such as the increase of poverty and unemployment, resulting from the recent economic and financial crises, countries should go beyond individual risk management and strengthen international cooperation and coordination on a regional and global scale. We encourage the ongoing discussions at the G20, the Financial Stability Board and the Bank for International Settlements, and the swift and thorough implementation of Basel III.
11. We believe that the G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation, which succeeded the G20 Speakers’ Consultation held in Ottawa, Canada, last year, provides new momentum for Parliaments representing both advanced and developing countries to accumulate wisdom, to strengthen democracy and respect for human rights and enhance cooperation on various pending global issues in the international community and agree that we will continue to meet in the future.
12. We express our appreciation to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea for graciously hosting the G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation 2011, and welcome the hosting of the next Consultation in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

Kwon Oh-eul, concurrently the secretary general of the National Assembly Secretariat


'Safe World, Batter Future'
The 2nd G20 Speakers’ Consultation 2011 took place from May 18-20 at the Rotunda Hall of the Korean National Assembly Building in Yeouido, Seoul. The following are excerpts of an interview between NewsWorld and Kwon Oh-eul, concurrently the secretary general of the National Assembly Secretariat and chairman of the G20 Seoul Speakers' Consulation Preparatory Committee, which was held prior to Korea’s hosting the meeting.

Question: Will you tell us about the significance of Korea hosting the G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation?
Answer: Now is the time for the nation to play a part as a global political center. In this context, the 2nd G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation will strive to promote connectivity with the G20 Summit by exploring ways of support, on a parliamentary level, to translate into action the agreements reached during the G20 Seoul Summit held last November. Participants will seek to explore solutions on global issues they choose on a parliamentarian level and iron out practical outcomes by discussing ways of coordinating policies.
The upcoming meeting will likely serve as a good opportunity for the Korean National Assembly to strengthen its global leadership as the chair and host country by presenting a model for the next meeting and playing leading roles in coordinating views and suggesting the direction of policies among participating countries.

Q: What must you do to successfully host the 2nd G20 Speakers’ Consultation?
A: As the chairman of the preparatory committee, I think that the upcoming meeting will serve as a good opportunity to demonstrate internally and externally the achievements the National Assembly has so far made during the parliamentarians' activities. The Korean National Assembly Secretariat is doing its utmost to prepare for a seamless meeting. The Korean parliament has a track record of hosting international conventions －it chaired the 97th IPU Seoul Conference in April 1997 and the 6th Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in January 1998 －and the Korean people will have another chance to demonstrate a mature sense of public awareness, as they did during the G20 Seoul Summit last year. As chairman of the preparatory committee, I’ll put my heart and soul into not only having the upcoming meeting ready for the participating presiding officers of the upper and unicameral houses of the G20 countries, but also helping them get a glimpse into the quintessence of Seoul’s beauty.
National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae called for bipartisan cooperation at a meeting of floor leaders from ruling and opposition parties and working-level officials in charge of preparing the Seoul Consultation on Feb. 23. Park also met with Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, who visited the National Assembly on Feb. 21, and asked for unwavering support from the government. In return, the prime minister promised to provide full support for the hosting of the meeting, which is significant from a national perspective.
Last March, Vice Speakers Chung Ui-hwa and Hong Jae-hyong, carrying my invitation letters, toured Italy, Germany and other European countries as well as Brazil, Argentina and other South American countries. I’ll make a trip to India and other G20 countries to solicit their participation in the meeting. Eleven countries have replied that they would send speakers, while nine others said they would dispatch vice speakers. We strive to encourage other countries to participate in the Seoul Consultation so that presiding officers of the upper and unicameral houses of major G20 countries can come together to explore solutions to the pending global issues.

Q: Will you explain the National Assembly Secretariat’s activities to prepare for hosting the Seoul Consultation?
A: The Committee for Preparing the Seoul Consultation, manned by directors-general or higher officials of the National Assembly Secretariat, Library, Budget Office, Research Service and other affiliates of the National Assembly, must take stock of all preparatory work ranging from the establishment of preparatory strategies, protocol and venues to lunches and dinners. A planning corps, headed by the chief of the International Bureau, will be in charge of working-level preparatory jobs. Priding myself in the preparatory work, liaison officers in charge of each G20 country have been selected from all bodies of the National Assembly, as they performed during the G20 Seoul Summit. The select persons who have passed foreign language proficiency tests will serve as future liaison officers at the upcoming meeting. nw


Photos on Courtesy of the National Assembly