The 21st Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) was held in Vladivostok (Russia) on January 27-30 under the chairmanship of Valentina Matvienko, Speaker of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

The event was attended by 350 delegates representing the parliaments of the countries in Asia and Pacific as well as the international organisations namely United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Inter-Parliamentary Assemblies of the CIS and Eurasian Economic Community.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon sent their welcome addresses to the participants in the forum.

During the session, the delegates discussed the issues of regional security, fight against cybercrime, illegal drugs .traffic and terrorism, integration processes in Asia and Pacific, development of trade, economic and investment cooperation, dialogue of civilisations.

Fourteen documents and final communiqué were adopted. The Executive Committee of the APPF approved Mexico as the host of the next Annual 22"d Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in 2014.

Brunei Darussalam has an observer status in the APPF and was represented at the event in Vladivostok by the Legislative Council members, YB Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Salbiah bind Haji Sulaiman (Head of the Delegation) and YB Awang Haji Ahmad Morshidi bin Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Abdul Rahman.

On the sidelines of the 21St APPF Annual Meeting, the Bruneian delegation had bilateral negotiations with the Deputy Speaker of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Ilias Umakhanov.

The 21St APPF Annual Meeting was held on the Russky Island in Vladivostok, previously the venue of the APEC Summit held in September 2012.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin