ALDE and CALD hold Workshop in Jakarta

(April 11, 2007/ Jakarta) The joint parliamentary mission of the Alliance for Liberals & Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats (CALD) finished today its workshop at the Four Seasons Hotel in the Indonesian capital.

The workshop is supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) with the participation of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP).

ALDE Leader, Graham Watson, MEP, chaired the opening session and gave the opening remarks in behalf of his organization. This was followed by messages from FNF Regional Director for East and South East Asia, Mr. Hubertus von Welck; Liberal Party of the Philippines Vice President, Henedina Abad, MP, speaking in behalf of CALD; Dr. Cecep Syariffudin, MP, of PKB and Ms. Willa Chandra Sutriandi, MP of PDIP.

The first session “Challenges for Democratic Consolidation” had for its panel

Hon. Kasit Piromya, former Thai Ambassador to the United States Democrat Party Thailand; Congresswoman Abad; Hon. Ingasi Guardans, MEP, of Spain and Hon. Lydie Polfer, MEP, of Luxemburg.

Session II:  Diversity within Islam featured Mr. Cecep Syriffudin; Senator Rhina Bhar of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia and Mr.  Jules Maaten, MEP, from Netherlands and former Secretary General of Liberal International.

The last session  “Curbing Corruption and Increasing Transparency in a Globalized Economy (Addressing State Capture, Corruption and Influence) had the following speakers: Ms. Saumura Tioulong, MP, of the Sam Rainsy Party; Ms. Fiona Hall, MEP of United Kingdom and Hon. Eugenijus Gentivilas, MEP, of Lithuania.

A luncheon meeting with the press was also held. Among those who attended were reporters from Jakarta Post, Bisnis Indonesia, TV-RI, Kompas, Republika,  Iken Antara, Rakyat Merdeka, Sinar Harapan, etc.

Other workshop participants include Mr. Anders Samuelsen, MEP, of Denmark; Ms. Badyiyah Fayumi, MP, of PKB; Mr. Nicollo Rinaldi, ALDE Deputy Secretary General; and, Mr. John Joseph S. Coronel, CALD Executive Director.  Among the observers was Mr. Florian Witt, Political Adviser and Attache of the European Union Representative to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and East Timor.

Providing technical and logistic support were Ms. Therese Murdock, ALDE Secretariat; CALD Program Officer Carlo Religioso; and Ms. Nur Rachmi of FNF-Jakrta.

The workshop closed with a dinner hosted by Mr. Watson at the Lara Djongrang Restaurant where the Asian and European parliamentarians expressed their mutual gratitude and commitment to further

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This post was written by CALD