Representing the Senate were Senators Hokkons Baules, Surangel S. Whipps, Jr., and Mark U. Rudimch (Head of Delegation) accompanied by staff Ms. Lisa E. Rdiall, Ms. Anne L. Pedro and Ms. Joycelynn S. Beltau.
Palau has been a long time member of the APPU which has hosted one of the general assemblies back in 2007 with the former Senate Floor Leader, Alan R. Seid becoming President of the assembly. The main purpose of this Union is to achieve and preserve freedom and democracy thereby securing peace and ties with the Asia – Pacific region. Senator Mark U. Rudimch who was head of this year’s Palau National Group to APPU proudly informs the public that three out of four Palau Resolutions submitted in 2008 were adopted without objections. The other resolution was respectfully withdrawn by Senator Rudimch during the 74th Council Meeting. The resolution withdrawn was due to the fact that the Republic of China (Taiwan) has granted observer status to the World Health Assembly. All four resolutions were: 1)CM74/RES/DR1 To state that the APPU recognizes and supports Taiwan’s efforts to attain observer status in the WHO to promote a grate exchange of health information in the international community 2) CM74/RES/DR3 To cooperate to address the decline in stocks of highly migratory fish and to preserve the stocks of highly migratory fish at sustainable levels 3) CM74/RES/DR$ To promote use of existing carbon trading mechanisms to finance projects to reduce emissions in developing and developed countries; and to encourage information sharing about alternative energy programs to carry out the intent of existing resolutions 4) CM74/RES/DR5 To facilitate exchanges of training ans scholarships between APPU member countries to share in the development of human resources for all APPU member countries.The President for the 40th APPU General Assembly is the Honorable Wang, Jin-ping, who is also the President of the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan and main theme was Human Security. The successful meeting consisted of debates, meetings, dinners with the other delegations. On the last day of the assembly, August 13, 2009 after signing of the joint communiqué all 14 country delegation had a courtesy call with His Excellency President Ma, Ying-jeou at the Presidential Palace. In his remarks, His Excellency President Ma mentioned that APPU stands for freedom as member countries work closely together to adopt policies to battle hunger as well as finding solutions to matters affecting many Asia Pacific countries such as the economy, health, food, environment, and security.
