The Asian delegates who are attending the Standing Committee on Staff and Financial Regulations and the First Executive Council Meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in the Kingdom of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh were warmly greeted by the Parliament of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

In the evening of 25 September 2016, before the official opening ceremony of the meeting, H.E. Mr. Chheang Vun, Chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, Interantional Cooperation, Information and Media of the National Assembly, Chairman of the Cambodian parliamentary delegation and the high representative of Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei HENG SAMRIN, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia and President of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, is hosting here a welcome dinner reception in honor of all honorable delegates from APA member parliaments in Asian countries.

Speaking at the welcome reception, H.E. Mr. Chheang Vun recalled the resounding success achieved by the 8^th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly which was held in 2015, while the Cambodian parliament is truly delighted to warmly welcome their excellencies the honorable delegates once again to the above mentioned meetings. He wished all honorable delegates participating in the meetings a pleasant and successful stay in the Kingdom of Cambodia, especially a success in sharing views and exchanging experience on the preservation of regional and global peace and development through parliamentary mechanisms established by the APA family at this moment in time.

It is emphasized that the Parliament of the Kingdom of Cambodia is hosting the APA Standing Committee on Staff and Financial Regulations and the First Executive Council Meetings from 26-27 September 2016 at Sofitel Phnom Penh Pokeethra Hotel. The official opening of the meetings will commence in the morning of 26 September 2016 under the high presidency of H.E. Dr. Nguon Nhel, Second Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 9^th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly and the high representative of Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei HENG SAMRIN, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia and President of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.

Delegates from 21 APA member countries out of 42, who are attending the aforesaid event hosted by the Cambodian parliament, are from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

The Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) was born in 2016, and transformed from the Association of Asian Parliament for Peace (AAPP), which was established in 1999. The Asian Parliamentary Assembly comprises of 42 member parliaments with Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei HENG SAMRIN, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, assuming the incumbent chairmanship since 2015 when the Parliament of the Kingdom of Cambodia once fruitfully hosted its 8^th Plenary Session.

Photos and article by courtesy of the Information Department