Meeting of IPA CIS Permanent Commission on Political Issues and International Cooperation Held at Tavricheskiy Palace

A meeting of the IPA CIS Permanent Commission on Political Issues and International Cooperation was held in Saint Petersburg. The event was chaired by Chair of the Committee of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security Aigul Kuspan.

Member of the Committee of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations Rasim Musabekov, and Chair of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Foreign Affairs and National Security Sergei Rachkov were elected Deputy Chairs of the Commission.

The members of the Permanent Commission discussed and unanimously approved the draft Address of the IPA CIS Council on the 80^th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945.

Chair of the Standing Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Foreign Affairs and National Security Sergei Aleinik presented information about the nuclear security threats at certain nuclear power plants. He noted “high nuclear technologies, both military and civilian, in the modern world represent a potential source of global catastrophes, threatening not only national but also international security, and in this context, attempts at reckless acts targeting nuclear energy infrastructure, primarily the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants, could lead to disastrous consequences”.

Head of the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (the ICRC)for the Russian Federation and the Republic Belarus Boris Michel spoke about the humanitarian situation in the Middle East and the ICRC’s activities in the region.

He reported on the activities of a field hospital in Rafah, which was opened by the ICRC and the Norwegian Red Cross in coordination with the Palestinian Red Crescent. The hospital provides outpatient and emergency consultations, surgical treatment, care for pregnant women and newborns, as well as physical rehabilitation.

It was noted that the civilian population is directly experiencing the immediate and far-reaching consequences of the ongoing violence. Life has become increasingly horrific, with tens of thousands killed or wounded, and many more displaced, many multiple times. People are cannot meet even their most basic needs for food, shelter, water, and medical care.

The ICRC Mission’s activities also help families find their members who have lost contact or gone missing due to the armed conflict. From 7 October 2023 to the end of October 2024, the ICRC received more than 10,000 such requests.

In conclusion, Boris Michel noted that the Mission acts as a neutral intermediary, facilitating the movement of medical personnel and equipment, but more needs to be done to ensure safe access for humanitarian and medical organizations. People need food, water, medical assistance, and first of all, a pause from the ongoing military actions.

Chief of the UNOCT Programme Office on Parliamentary Engagement David Alamos spoke about the cooperation between the IPA CIS and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism on the counter-terrorism track. He also announced that in April 2025, during the spring session of the Assembly, a counter-terrorism event would be held focusing on the development of model legislation regulating the use of artificial intelligence and new technologies in countering terrorism.

Aigul Kuspan presented to the Commission several issues on the Observer Status at the IPA CIS. After considering all the applications, the Commission members recommended the IPA CIS Council grant this status to the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Deputy Chair of the Commission, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev  informed the Commission members about the outcomes of the 149^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Geneva in October.

Konstantin Kosachev spoke about the possibility of creating a new geopolitical group “BRICS Plus” within the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the establishment of which would allow participating parliaments to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. “Each parliament will be able to freely express its own position, based on national interests,” noted the Deputy Chair.