MINSK, 21 November (BelTA) - The ASEAN community has raised the level of regional ties to new heights, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Valery Mitskevich said at the plenary session of the 43rd General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), which is underway in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 20-25 November, BelTA has learned.
“Today, after a forced break, we have an opportunity to return to the face-to-face discussion of the most urgent and acute problems that have accumulated in recent times. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. I wish the organization success in further building the ASEAN community on the terms of partnership, solidarity and cooperation for peace, in which there will be more opportunities for the happiness and wellbeing of each citizen of the Southeast Asian region,” said Valery Mitskevich.
According to him, the foundation of the ASEAN IPA reflected an even greater desire for peace, stability, friendship and cooperation for joint development among many countries in the region. The ASEAN community has raised the level of regional ties to new heights. The goals and objectives of the community are close and clear to all nations. They go in line with the Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the UN. The Republic of Belarus aspires to follow them. This is a certain plan of mankind to survive, to develop and to achieve wellbeing,” the vice speaker said.
The National Assembly of Belarus has been participating in the AIPA General Assembly meetings on a regular basis since 2011 as an observer. This year's assembly focuses on investment in peace, sustainable development and recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program of Valery Mitskevich's visit includes a number of bilateral meetings with the heads of parliamentary delegations of ASEAN countries to discuss ways of intensifying cooperation with Southeast Asian countries in various fields.
Earlier, on the sidelines of the event, Valery Mitskevich had a protocol meeting with President of the National Assembly of Cambodia Heng Samrin. The meeting was a continuation of the inter-parliamentary dialogue that started in June 2012 with the visit of the president of the National Assembly of Cambodia to Belarus and the return visit of the Belarusian parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Vladimir Andreichenko to Cambodia in February 2013, during which a cooperation agreement was signed between the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus and the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
