CALD holds an executive meeting in Bangkok

(June 17, 2005/ Bangkok) More than fifty representatives from CALD member parties, associate and individual members and observer parties, and partners arrived yesterday in the Thai capital for the two-day Executive Committee Meeting and Executive Visit of the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats. This event is hosted by the Democrat Party of Thailand with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF).

The CALD delegates attended last night the reception hosted by Dr. Irmgard Schwaetzer, FNF boardmember and   former parliamentarian and German Federal Minister, to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of FNF in Thailand, which also served as the farewell reception of Mr. Uwe Johannen, FNF Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia and as the formal welcome for Mr. Hubertus von Welck who would be taking over from Mr. Johannen. During this event Thai Parliamentarian and former Deputy Foreign Minister, M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, spoke in behalf of CALD.

A whole-day meeting started today at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel.  Aside from CALD business matters, various political parties and the Young Liberals and Democrats for Asia (YLDA) also made their presentations regarding their respective political parties: brief history, vision and platform, organizational profile, participation in recent electoral campaigns, significant achievements in the executive branch of government and in the legislature and plans for the future. Alco covered in the discussions were significant political developments that have national and regional impact.

The presenters were Korean parliamentarians Dr. Kim Myung-ja and Chung Eui-yong (MP) of the ruling Uri Party; Hong Kong legislators Martin Lee and Sin Chung Kai of the Democratic Party; Members of Parliament Hasto Kristiyanto and Isma Yatun with Dr. Yasonna H. Laoly of the Indonesian Party of Struggle (PDIP); HM Lukhman Edy, Hermawi Taslim and Hanif Dhakiri of the Nation Awakening Party of Indonesia (PKB); and, Eko Darwanto and Anne Elicano of the Young Liberals & Democrats of Asia.

An open forum followed each presentation during the whole day event presided by Hon. Bi-Khim Hsiao, MP, CALD Secretary General.

Prior to the presentations, the CALD Executive Committee discussed the following projects completed prior to the said meeting: the CALD Executive Visit to Taipei (March 18-19); the CALD activities during the 112th Inter Parliamentary Union General Assembly (March 31 to April 8, Manila) including the concurrent missions of the Sam Rainsy Party and the National Council of the Union of Burma; CALD participation during the Liberal International Congress (May 12 to 14, Sofia, Bulgaria) including the workshop between CALD and RELIAL, the Latin American network of liberal parties and organizations; and the Italian Le Margherita Party Asian Mission which CALD co-sponsored (June 6 to 10, Bangkok, Manila, etc).

Also discussed were the future projects, in particular, the LI-CALD Women’s Conference and Turn Over Ceremonies (October in Taipei) and the CALD Communication Workshop (September, Kuala Lumpur) as well as the ongoing CALD Internship Program to the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg.

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