Hon. W. J. M. Lokubandara, Speaker of the Parliament and head of the Sri Lankan delegation to the 119^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) now being held in Geneva, held bilateral meetings today with the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Hon. Faisal Karim Kundi, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Hon. Dr. Ali Larijani and the Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, Hon. Agung Laksono.  The Hon. Speaker was accompanied by Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Minister of Mass Media and Information, Hon. Duleep Wijesekera, M.P., Mr. Dhammika Kithulgoda, Acting Secretary-General of Parliament and Mr. Neil Iddawala, Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament.    

Yesterday, the Sri Lanka parliamentary delegation unanimously supported an amendment to the IPU Constitution that enabled the Parliament of Palestine to join the IPU as a member. This amendment was adopted by an overwhelming majority.

The world financial crisis, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, climate change, and freedom of expression are among the main topics of discussion among the parliamentarians at the on-going IPU Assembly.

The Sri Lanka parliamentary delegation to the 119^th IPU Assembly is comprised of Hon. Speaker, W. J. M. Lokubandara, Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information,Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Duleep Wijesekera, M.P., Hon. R Sampanthan, M.P., and Hon. Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana, M.P.

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 (Right to Left) Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Hon. Dr. Ali Larijani , the translator of the Iranian IPU Delegation, Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara, Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa

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(Right to Left) Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Hon. Dr. Ali Larijani, the translator of the Iranian IPU delegation and Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara,

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(Left to Right) Hon. Duleep Wijesekera, M.P., Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara, the translator of the Iranian IPU Delegation and the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Hon. Dr. Ali Larijani.

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Iranian IPU Delegation

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Sri Lankan Delegation

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Sri Lankan and Iranian Delegation

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(Left to Right) Mr. Dhammika Kithulgoda, Acting Secretary-General of Sri Lanka Parliament, Hon. Duleep Wijesekera, M.P., Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara with the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Hon. Dr. Ali Larijani and his delegation.

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Sri Lankan Delegation

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(Left to Right) Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Hon. Faisal Karim Kundi

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(Left to Right) Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara and members of the Pakistani IPU Delegation.

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(Left to Right) Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara with the Pakistani IPU Delegation.

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Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara and the Pakistani IPU Delegation.

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Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and the Pakistani IPU Delegation.

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Sri Lankan Delegation

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(Left to Right) Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Hon. Faisal Karim Kundi

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Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa with a member of the Pakistani IPU Delegation.

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Sri Lanka Delegation with a member of the Iranian IPU Delegation

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Sri Lankan Delegation

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Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament Hon. Agung Laksono (2^nd from left) and his delegation meet the Sri Lankan Delegation

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Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, Hon. Agung Laksono and Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa

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(Left to Right) Mr. Dhammika Kithulgoda, Acting Secretary-General of Sri Lanka Parliament, Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara, Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament Hon. Agung Laksono, Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Hon. Duleep Wijesekera, M.P.

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(Left to Right) Hon. Duleep Wijesekera, M.P., Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament, Mr. Neil Iddawala, Hon. Speaker W J M Lokubandara and Acting Secretary-General of Sri Lanka Parliament, Mr. Dhammika Kithulgoda  at the 119^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting Geneva.  

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