CONFERENCE 3 LAST

Turning to climate change, the Prime Minister said the
issue requires a collective and cooperative approach based on
the principle of common but differential responsibility.
"I call for a greater sense of fairness and justice in
global approaches to dealing with the problem of climate
change", he said.
In her welcome address, Kumar said India is the largest
working democracy in the world and "our Parliament has
acquired pre-eminence in our political system."
"In fact, our Parliament has been playing a pivotal role
in promoting the ideals of democracy, human dignity and
tolerance as enshrined in our Constitution", she said.
This is the third time the conference is being hosted
by Indian Parliament, the earlier two being in 1971 and 1986,
she told reporters.
Three issues that would be discussed at the five-day
conference are the Speaker's role as a mediator, the use of
technology in the Parliamentary context and the role of
Speaker in the administration of Parliament.
Cost effective functioning of the Parliaments and how to
ensure free flow of information are the other issues that will
be deliberated in the meet.
34 Speakers and Presiding officers of state legislatures
in the country are also participating.
The CSPOC was created in 1969 on the initiative of the
then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Lucien
Lamourent and is being held once in two years. PTI