125th IPU annual meeting opens in Switzerland

The 125th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union opened in Switzerland’s capital of Bern on Sunday at the presence of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, representatives from more than 120 member-states, including Iran's Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani. The participants of the assembly included rotating head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, head of Swiss Parliament , Swiss President and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, secretary-general of the International Inter-Parliamentary Union Ben Johnson, and Bern Mayor Ben Johnson. Swiss President and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and Secretary of the International Inter-Parliamentary Union, and Bern Mayor Lee Bettis delivered speeches at the assembly. The 125th Assembly of International Inter-parliamentary Union is held on October 16-20 in Bern. The focus of the Larijani will also deliver a speech at IPU’s International Security and Peace Commission regarding the most important event of the Middle East and North Africa. International Inter-parliamentary Union is an international parliamentary institution which convenes twice every year in the venue of a member-state. The IPU has presently 157 member-states and its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland.