On 11 March a tsunami slammed into the north-eastern coast of Japan, following in the wake of one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded, unleashing widespread destruction and leaving some 28,000 people either dead or missing.

At this IPU Assembly in Panama, the Parliament of Pakistan submitted a resolution expressing solidarity with Japan. Taking my cue from that resolution, and on behalf of all the parliamentarians assembled here, I wish to express our deepest condolences to the people of Japan as they continue to grapple with the consequences of that terrible disaster. Our foremost concern is the appalling loss of human life.

We also express our solidarity with the people of Japan as they confront the full impact of this tragedy. Japan has always demonstrated generosity in providing human, material and financial assistance whenever countries have experienced disasters on such a scale. The world community owes Japan a similar response in the wake of its own calamity, and we will press our parliaments to be attentive to its needs.

We also wish to express our admiration for the resilience and calm of the people of Japan as they work with patience and determination to attenuate the effects of this disaster. Those grappling with the damage to the nuclear plant have worked selflessly, in many cases demonstrating genuine heroism. While the work goes on, we call for all public commentary on the situation to prefer objective analysis to groundless rumors.

Just as the destruction was swift and lethal, so the recovery will be painstaking and time consuming. I know the Japanese people will face the challenge with courage. The IPU expresses its utmost support to Japan as the country embarks upon the road to recovery.

---

Note: you can download a complete electronic version of the brochure "Results of the 124th Assembly and related meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union" in PDF format (file size approximately 746 Kb). This version requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download free of charge.

HOME PAGEIPU ASSEMBLYMAIN AREAS OF ACTIVITYIPU STRUCTURE AND DOCUMENTS