Indian MPs' head for Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva

New Delhi, Oct.10 : Seven Members of Parliament led by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal left for Geneva on Friday to attend the 119th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

The Assembly, to be held between October 13 and 15, would hold discussions on the programme and budget 2009-10 of the organisation and collaboration between the United Nations and IPU.

The standing committees of IPU will discuss the issues of advancing nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and 'Securing the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): the role of parliaments'.

The second issue to be discussed by the standing committees will be on climate change and sustainable models and renewable energies.

The standing committees will also discuss freedom of expression and the right to information, official sources said in New Delhi.

The delegation will also participate in the meetings of the Regional Asia-Pacific Group. A coordination committee of women parliamentarians will deliberate on increased participation of women in parliaments.

Besides Atwal, the other MPs include C K Chandrappan, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Abdul Rashid Shaheen, Bal Apte, Praveen Rashtrapal, Preneet Kaur and Lok Sabha Secretary General P D T Acharya.

ANI