Four lawmakers attend APPU meet in Japan

The APPU was scheduled from August 10- 12, 2008.The APPU is an organization of Parliamentarians from Asian and Pacific nations, who work together to address issues which affect all countries in the region.  The theme of this Assembly was “Alternate Energy, Global Warming, Climate Change, and Human Resource Development.”  The Palau National Group was headed by Senate Floor Leader Alan R. Seid and three other members of the Olbiil Era Kelulau participated in the event and there were  Senate President Surangel Whipps, Senator Caleb Otto and Delegate Mario Gulibert.Joining the lawmakers in the trip were also Senate Legal Counsel Elise Milstein, Senate Assistant Clerk and Secretariat of the APPU Palau National Group Warren S. Umetaro, Senate Committee Staff Lisa Rdiall, House Committee Staff Rodney Sungino.  They were accompanied by Mrs. Sophia Seid.On the first day,  Delegate Gulibert convened the 73rd Council Meeting and presented the opening remarks. “Our ability to effect change for the better at this meeting is critical since it is the health of our nations, our region and our whole world that is at stake,” he stated in his opening remarks.   Gulibert had been the Chairman of the previous Council Meeting, which was hosted by Palau.  The Honorable Ryotaro Tanose, Secretary General of the Japan National Group, was elected as Chairman of the   73rd Council Meeting.Among other business, the delegates discussed several Draft Resolutions, including a draft resolution introduced by Palau for APPU as a group to support Taiwan’s bid to become an observer to the World Health Assembly. This status, although less than full membership to the World Health Organization as Taiwan had previously sought with Palau’s support, would allow Taiwan to have direct access to health information known to the WHO, information Taiwan can only access through the policy of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China today. According to a press release from the OEK,  the Council adopted four draft resolutions: Energy Cooperation and Security proposed by the Philippine National Group, Integration of Energy Security, Global Warming Solutions and People Participation proposed by the Thai National Group; Actions to Promote Activities and Strengthen the Role of the APPU proposed by the Thai National Group; and Sustainable Use of Whale Resources, which was originally proposed by the Tonga National Group, Papua new Guinea and the Cook Islands as a Draft Resolution on South Pacific Whale Sanctuary.  The Sustainable Use of Whale Resources was revised by the Japanese and Palau National Groups, and was adopted in revised form as Sustainable Use of Whale Resources and omitting the word “South” to make it more inclusive of all Pacific island countries.  Nara is the ancient capital of Japan; a beautiful city rich with temples, shrines, and parkland.  The event took place during the To-kae Festival, an annual event in Nara in which thousands of candles illuminate Nara Park and other attractions.