The three-day meeting aims to highlight the role of Asian parliamentary assemblies in enhancing democracy, to ensure peace, social welfare and justice in Asia.

More than 190 delegates from 26 APA member countries have gathered for the event. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Vu Xuan Hong, a member of the National Assembly and President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he believed that democratic values remove discrimination and promote human rights and freedom. He also voiced his support for the ongoing UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen, saying that any agreement reached at the conference will help to fulfill the Kyoto Protocol by 2012.

The Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Marzuki Ali, added that the APA will look at ways of dealing with complex issues related to violence and anti-terrorism.