Region: Europe

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Challenges to European security: Parliamentary perspectives and responses

BGIPU and Wilton Park hosted an international seminar on challenges to European security from 15-17 February 2016, bringing together some 50 UK and international parliamentarians, government officials, NGO representatives, and academic experts. Parliamentarians from a wide range of European countries, engaged both with each other and experts with discussion focussed on key challenges facing European security; increasing migration, a Russia seeking to degrade European cohesion, and the continued need for robust parliamentary democracy.

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Annual General Meeting elects 2016 Executive Committee

The Annual General Meeting of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union was convened on Wednesday 13 January 2016 in the IPU Room at the Palace of Westminster to adopt the 2015 Annual Report and elect the Executive Committee for 2016. It was presided over by the Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, in his capacity as Honorary President of the Group.

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Annual Report of the BGIPU for 2015 published

The Annual Report of the BGIPU for 2015 has been published on 10 November in advance of the 13 January Annual General Meeting. The Annual Report highlights that in 2015 BGIPU has received delegations to the UK Parliament from five parliaments and sent delegations to six countries.  There have also been shorter visits by overseas MPs from nine countries to Westminster, UK participation in IPU Assemblies in Hanoi and Geneva and support for major inter-parliamentary events including the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.

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BGIPU Chair welcomes Kosovo representative to the UK Parliament

Members of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU) welcomed a high ranking representative of the Government of Kosovo to the House of Commons on Wednesday 28 October.  Petrit Selimi, Kosovo’s Deputy Foreign Minister, discussed the Kosovo government’s political priorities, including plans to develop its international status, over a working dinner with MPs and Peers in the House of Commons Dining Room as a guest of Nigel Evans MP, BGIPU Chair.

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UK-Romania ties set to further strengthen

A UK delegation led by Bob Blackman MP visited Romania 21-25 September to meet parliamentary counterparts and explore mutual bilateral interests. The delegation included Lord Davies of Stamford, Lord Harrison of Chester, Stephen Pound MP, Graham Jones MP and Philip Hollobone MP.  Members concluded that there is perhaps too little knowledge in the UK about Romania but ties between both countries look set to strengthen, not least due to shared energy and defence interests and Romania’s increasing enthusiasm for English.

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Parliamentary visit from Ukrainian Rada further strengthening UK-Ukraine relations

Following the successful outward visit to Kiev in February 2015, BGIPU hosted a delegation of Ukrainian parliamentarians, representing the different factions of the current coalition in the Ukrainian Rada, in Westminster during the week of 7th September 2015. The intensive but productive two day working programme included meetings with the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committees, FCO Minister Rt. Hon David Lidington MP, a Cross-Whitehall Roundtable and MOD officials.

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Special General Meeting elects Nigel Evans MP as BGIPU Chair

A Special General Meeting (SGM) on 30 June elected Nigel Evans MP as the new BGIPU Chair in the wake of the recent 2015 General Election in the UK.  The SGM also elected new members to fill a number of other Executive Committee vacancies along with the nomination of Ian Liddell-Grainger MP to fill the UK vacancy on the IPU’s Executive Committee.

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Roundtable on Eastern European Security

On 17 June 2015 BGIPU hosted a roundtable on Eastern European Security that brought together Members from both Houses, Ambassadors and Embassy representatives from relevant countries and academic experts. Chaired by Steve Pound MP, the event gave Members who had recently participated in BGIPU visits to the region (Armenia, Georgia, Poland and Ukraine) the opportunity to report back and highlight some of the outcomes and hear from Ambassadors about the current situation and priorities in their country.

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Outgoing BGIPU Chair expresses thanks for support

Following his appointment as UK Minister of State for Health, the Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, has stood down from the position of BGIPU Chair. At a State Opening reception on 27 May, the outgoing Chair expressed thanks for the support of diplomatic missions and UK representatives abroad, noted his gratitude to BGIPU members and recognised the work of the BGIPU Secretariat in supporting his role as Chair since he was elected in December 2013.  The BGIPU Chair will be filled on an ad interim basis by Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger MP.