For a multilateral world

The Interparliamentary Union (IU) was founded in 1889, out of an idea of Frédéric Passy and Randal Cremer, the first a French parliamentarian and the second British, with the purpose of creating a place of encounter and of shared work for the members of the Parliaments of different countries. The purpose of the IU is defined by the first article of the Statute: to open ways of peace and cooperation between peoples, and to promote the affirmation of the representative institutions in the various countries of the world. A lofty purpose, which is pursued through constant dialogue between the parliamentary groups of the different member States and plenary meetings of the body. An activity which is not given great publicity, but which is nevertheless equally precious, because, among other things, it allows politicians from different nations to meet each other and discuss quite apart from historical contingencies, as for example a conflict between two member Countries. The President of the organization itself, Sergio Pàez Verdugo explains its aims and its actual spheres of action. Sergio Pàez Verdugo, 72 years old, elected Senator in the ranks of the Chilean Christian Democrats, has witnessed from close up the suppression of parliamentary representation. Under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet he was the coordinator of the International Assembly for Democracy in Chile, which brought together parliamentarians of different countries in the world associated in solidarity with the Chilean people. In 1988, during the course of the referendum called by Pinochet to ask for the extension of his mandate until 1997, he directed the “no” campaign in the south of Chile. A referendum which, after the victory of the opponents the regime, laid the basis for the electoral undoing of Pinochet and the opening of the process of transition to democracy. Senator of the Chilean Parliament, Sergio Pàez was elected President of the Interparliamentarty Union in September 2002. We asked him about the IU and the role it plays in complicated international affairs.

What is the function of the world Interparliamentary Union?
SERGIO PÀEZ VERDUGO: The Interparliamentary Union was founded in 1889, more than a century ago, in the purpose of promoting peace among peoples and of strengthening and spreading democratic institutions in the world, in particular parliamentary representation. Now 138 national Parliaments belong to the Union, which have their stable representation through the national groups, formed of government and opposition Parties. As well as these, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Andean Parliament, the Central American Parliament and the Latin American Parliament belong to the IU in the capacity of associate members. The IU is a place of dialogue and meeting for politicians from the different countries of the world, a place in which ways to peace and the development of democratic institutions are undertaken. The workings of the Interparliamentary Union are concretized in recommendations which are presented to the various national Parliaments so they take them into account in their legislative activity. But this is only a part of the activity carried out by the IU.
What other activity does the IU undertake?
PÀEZ VERDUGO: The activity of the IU manifests itself in different ambits, as for example the technical assistance which it gives to different “young” Parliaments, of recent institution, for example East Timor, or countries which have experienced the horrors of war, as a help for the reinforcement of democratic institutions. Such assistance is undertaken especially with regard to the so called developing countries, thereby encouraging their socio-economic development. Also in the sphere of the IU, a Committee for human rights has been operating for about 25 years, which watches out for the violation of the rights of parliamentarians, violations which vary from the illegal revocation of the mandate to physical elimination. The IU is further involved in encouraging the participation of women in political life. I can also tell you that the IU has a Committee for Middle East questions which regularly brings together parliamentarians from the Israeli Knesset and the Palestinian Legislative Council. Finally among the various initiatives undertaken in recent times, I would like to point to our stand against stoning, as in the case of Amina Lawal in Nigeria. But, beyond the activities related to the contingencies of the moment, the IU deals with long term problems. To give but one example, the next meeting of the IU, which will be held in Geneva, will have as its theme the WTO, the Organization which presides over international commerce, to raise the awareness of this body, so important in the era of the so-called globalized economy, in order that its decisions take into due consideration the real concerns and needs of people.
And yet there are those who maintain that the IU is by now obsolete and without specific weight in the events of the world.
PÀEZ VERDUGO: What I said previously demonstrates that that opinion is without foundation. But it is also true that our organization, as I said, is over a hundred years old and, like all institutions, it too must renew itself in order to adapt to the changes that occur in the world. This is much more true in an epoch in which such changes follow each other in rapid fashion, as now happens. This concern was clear to me from the beginning, so much so that, at the moment of my candidacy as president of the IU, I decided to include reform of the institution in my program. In short, I maintain that the IU, in order to have a more incisive role on the world scene, must assume a more political dimension. This prospect is not a distortion of the IU, but aims rather at making this institution follow its true nature more closely: the IU is made up of politicians from all over the world, therefore it is a political body, indeed it is the oldest international organization at the political level … and as such it must act on the political scene. In the course of my mandate I have met with different institutional representatives of the Parliaments of the States which belong to our organization, to make them participants in this project and to make them aware of this reform.
During your mandate has something changed in this regard?
PÀEZ VERDUGO: Yes. To give just an example, before and during the Iraq conflict, our organization assumed a very strong position condemning the armed intervention.The IU expressed its opposition to an action conducted outside the consensus of the United Nations Organization. This because the IU, in the international sphere, condemns unilateralism and promotes multilateralism, and because it cannot accept the marginilization of the UN in the area of international controversies.
In recent years the role of the UN seems to have undergone a re-scaling. What is the IU’s position in relation to that institution?
PÀEZ VERDUGO: We believe that the UN must continue to be the central body for the resolution of international controversies. In this respect the IU works so that this organization may resume its central role and reinforce itself. The relations between IU and the UN are very close and productive. I believe that the fact that the UN has accepted the Interparliamentary Union among its observers and has given it the privilege of circulating its documents within the General Assembly is a result of great importance.
Do the representatives of the United States participate in the workings of the IU?
PÀEZ VERDUGO: At this moment no, because an administrative suspension was decided against it, as also happened, furthermore, with other member states. In the case of the United States we are talking about a necessary act, in that for years the US did not pay the quotas that every member is expected to pay for the needs of the IU. But this does not mean that we intend to deprive the United States of the possibilities of participating in the works of the Interparliamentary Union, far from it. In reality we wish them to return soon and meet with the other members of the IU. It would be very important for everyone.
Before you mentioned dialogue, in the ambit of the IU, between Palestinians and Israelis…
PÀEZ VERDUGO: Yes, even if the question of the conflict in the Middle East is so dramatic that we certainly do not presume to be able to resolve it by ourselves. In any case the IU cannot but support all those forces which contribute to the setting up of a peace process between Arabs and Israelis. As I said, Israeli and Palestinian representatives meet frequently within the framework of our Committee for Middle East questions. On 17 July they met in Geneva, in our headquarters, The House of Parliaments, and they decided to establish a working group, which includes parliamentarians from the Knesset and from the Palestinian Legislative Council, charged with promoting reconciliation between both sides.